Banquet
by Bleu Tsuki
Summary: COMPLETE! Hei/Misaki with a little OC MI-6 side story. "Key? Dance? What had Hei gotten himself into?" "At first glance it's like magic, but really it's murder." And what does Amber have to do with this anyway?
1. Prologue and CH1 Part 1

Title: **Banquet**  
Category: Anime/Manga » Darker than BLACK  
Author: Bleu Tsuki  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Romance/Humor  
Published: 04-21-12, Updated: 06-21-12  
Chapters: 12, Words: 21,884

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**Chapter 1: Prologue and CH1 Part 1**

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AN- I don't own anything! *tear*

Enjoy!

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**Prologue**

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"Are you sure you want to give this mission to an amateur like him?"

"Yes. He has been trained by MI6 for the past 4 years. It's about time he's gotten a real mission."

"And what about the fact that he is Dr. Greene's son?"

"November, this is final. This vial will revolutionize the way we operate. I don't care if his father formulated it or not. He didn't know about it, and he won't care now."

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**Chapter 1 Part 1**

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It was finally the night of the annual Tokyo Police Banquet. Famed for its standard of class and polished professionalism, there was no doubt that tonight was going to be anything but a full house. The celebration took place- as it did every year- on the very top floor of Tokyo's police headquarters, where the newly purchased glass ceiling could be put on full display. The walls of the revered Banquet Hall were a dark mahogany color and the ground, a spotless cream colored carpet that met half way with a wooden dance floor. Heavy metal and glass tables were laden with small delicacies, and finger food, as well as non-alcoholic drink (though someone managed to sneak it in every year) and fruity bubbling beverages. Of course, everything was lit above by the stars. It was only right, after all, for the stars that everyone worked so hard to catch by day to serve as the main attraction for the banquet. So naturally, as guests began to fill into the usually vacant room, Misaki Kirihara was one among them.

_Stupid party. _Misaki frowned, fighting the urge to itch her eyes. _Stupid contacts. Stupid mascara._ She had just about _a million_ reports to finish off, not to even mention the late night research she did every night on her favorite contractor: BK-201. Ordinarily, she would have skipped this whole over advertised ordeal as she had the last few banquets, but this year Kanami had forced her to come. Quite literally, she had begged Misaki on her knees to attend after _coincidentally_ stumbling upon a dress she swore Misaki could _KILL_ in. Kanami had been at the mall, minding her own business, of course, when she had a feeling, no, a calling, to enter a dress boutique. Obviously, it would have been rude to leave, so after politely glancing around the store for an hour, she had accidentally found a bright red, western styled dress decorated with intricate black beading. And now, Misaki was wearing it.

Never in a billion years would Misaki have imagined she would be attending a work party dressed up in something like _that._ Not only would it completely shatter the sharp image that her subordinates and others had of her, it would completely shatter the image she had of herself. It wasn't provocative, except for the plunging neckline, which Kanami had argued was the appropriate amount of cleavage to show, and it wasn't necessarily trashy. It was just… eye-catching, attractive, _too _attractive. All in all, a terrible piece of clothing. But after a week's worth of nagging, threats, and begging, Misaki reluctantly gave in.

Fortunately for her, almost every woman wore a similarly beautiful outfit, allowing Misaki to blend in much more so than she had anticipated. If only she weren't so damn recognizable. Even with her contacts in and hair down, people still continued to take notice. The comments had started as soon as she had entered the room with the rest of her section team (as was customary at the banquet.)

"Stop goggling! I heard that her glares were fatal." a man warned in a quiet yell to his small circle of friends. His friends immediately nodded, ducking their heads as to be less noticeable.

"Shhhh! Do you _want_ to get us fired? I heard she has ears like a hawk!"

"Shut it!" A third person hissed, giving each man a due hit on the head as they continued to stare at her figure.

_Hawk, huh?_

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**2 hours into the banquet.**

One might stir salt into a glass of water and hope it will dissolve. But while the salt and water may mingle, there may remain the stubborn salt crystals stuck like parasites to the very edges of the container. Misaki Kirihara was one such salt crystal. She had taken up a slightly uncomfortable position of leaning against hard brown walls with the other two particles- Saitou and Kouno. Glass of punch in hand, she spotted Kanami and Mayu Otsuka mingling with many of the other workers from Astronomics and the local police. But, truthfully, she felt no inclination o obligation to join. She was perfectly content in staying where she was- glued to the wall. S_o boring,_ she sighed inwardly, taking another ungraceful swig of her punch.

In an effort to entertain herself, Misaki began (once again) to survey the large hall. Catering boys roamed back and forth with their trays of delicious smelling appetizers, wearing their black tuxedos and white dress shirts. Perhaps if Li were here it wouldn't be half so boring. She had scanned the room many times over, (sure that this was the same catering company Li had worked at, for from what Saitou had said,) but sadly to no avail. She gave a ginger half-glance at the exits, but they were blockaded by a bunch of talkative people from Section 3. There was no way out without having to awkwardly explain why she was leaving, or where she was going, who who the hell she was.

"Uh!" Misaki groaned, realizing that Kanami had finally managed to trap her in public, in a dress, in make-up and high heels, and in front of the entire organization.

"Tired?" Saitou asked tentatively, trying not to appear as if he had been listening for any slight sound she might make. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see her nodded in the affirmative, though he couldn't see that she let her eyes droop just a bit to prove her point.

Even though she was exhausted from all the work she did, Saitou had rarely seen his chief look so stunning. (He hardly counted Alice's party since they had almost been killed. He let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and attempted to stop the beads of sweat appearing rapidly on his forehead. The officer had stood next to his section chief in silence for the past thirty minutes, too scared to say anything of any importance. _Come on, Saitou!_ he had coached himself. _This may be your only chance, now go for it!_ Mustering his courage he decided to risk it all-

"Chief, let's dan-"

Misaki had barely turned her head to consider him when a catering boy in a black suit bumped into her, causing her glass of punch to go flying, ultimately showering upon Saitou's head.

"I'm so sorry!" Misaki cried in full panic mode, utterly startled to find her beverage all over her sub-coordinate. The reddish liquid dripped from Saitou's clothes onto the once spotless carpeted floor below, backgrounded by the catering boy's rambling, non-stop apologies.

"So sorry, Miss! So sorry! I'm terribly sorry, Sir! Can I hel-?"

The volume in the room immediately plummeted as many of the guests turned to watch the commotion.

"No, no! It's alright, Chief. I'll just- be in- the restroom a minute!"

Saitou practically flew to the bathroom. This was the worst moment of his entire life...

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Misaki groaned inwardly (again.) Parties were not her thing. Boys and dancing and dressing up were not her things. She should know this by now! She should just stick to arresting and fighting and stalking her contractor heartthrob. So how had she let Kanami talk her into this, again?

_Speak of the devil._

"You're not having _fun_, Misaki!" Kanami complained, striding up to her in a full length lavender gown. The pale fabric was elegantly draped over her shoulder and held at her waist by a large jewel encrusted brooch. It shimmered dramatically in the starlight (although the small lights on the walls did help).

"I just dumped my drink all over Saitou!" Misaki protested, holding up her empty glass as evidence. Apparently, Kanami must have been the only one in the room who _had_ missed the entire incident.

"Aww! I thought I saw him running past." Kanami sighed sympathetically, most likely too drunk to have really been concerned. "This party is over in about an hour anyway. I give you my permission to go."

"Gee, thanks, Kanami." Misaki's voice was laced thick with sarcasm, but she was grateful none the less. Taking advantage of her early leave, she quickly scampered to the nearest exit, kicked off her heels, and walked back down to her office. She could squeeze in at least one report before the office closed…

**Hei.**

"I'm in, now where do I go?" Hei was supposed to infiltrate Police HQ while everyone was occupied at the party in order to obtain yet another, valuable Gate item. Conveniently, Huang had refrained from telling him what exactly he was supposed to be looking for. Like before, information was on a 'need to know' basis, and 'he'd know it when he got it' type system. It really was a wonder how they ever operated.

"Go left, right, left, straight." Yin dutifully instructed him through the small ear piece he wore. She had been tasked to guide Hei safely into the building, through any threatening security, and as far as their intel could lead him. Unfortunately, there were limited sources of water for her to lend him her help, and she often paused for seconds at a time, which was very costly, since he had almost knocked into a man Hei recognized a Saitou.

"Stop. There is one person in the office to your left, be careful." Yin warned in a monotone, though she clearly cared about Hei's welfare. Hei stopped abruptly on command. Carefully, he peered through the door that Yin had referred to. It led to a cluster of desks, stacked atop with mounds of paperwork. Everyone in Police HQ was supposed to be at the banquet on the top floor. That was the whole point of going inside tonight. So why was someone down here?

That was when he saw, or rather glimpsed her, Misaki, in a gorgeous red dress that did not do her justice, hunched over her desk and squinting into the light of the bright computer screen. Her long black hair tumbled gracefully over her back, and two strands characteristically framed her face.

**Misaki.**

_Damn Kanami! I can't see! These stupid contacts are bothering my eyes._

**Hei.**

Of all people, it would be Misaki down here. She was such a workaholic! Hei sighed. He wished he could just change into Li on the spot, scoop her up into his arms, and ask her to dance with him. She was obviously dressed to go to the party, and no one should be alone while a banquet raged on above.

_Although, that might not even be possible,_ Hei considered, _since Li's personality restricts me from doing anything bold _- but now wasn't exactly the best time to start planning his love life, especially with the particular cop who hunted him ever so relentlessly. He had a job to do.

"Hei?" Huang barked into his ear.

"Yes, what is it Huang?" Hei ground his teeth; frustrated that he had been torn from his fantasies by Huang oh so smooth and delicate voice.

"The party's over! All the exits are under high security. Find a spot to hide! We'll get you out in the morning!" Huang screamed before cutting off the signal. It left a dead tone in Hei's ear before complete silence.

_Wonderful!..._ Now what was he supposed to do? Hei's eyes darted to a closet door to his right and he quickly slipped into it. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the storage closet turned out to be comfortably larger than expected, furnished with a few cardboard boxes sitting neatly on the one metal shelf. Even so, his situation wasn't ideal- not that it ever was...

Hei sat down tiredly- _we should really plan these missions out better._

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**AN- I'm not exactly sure what to call the people who carry food during parties. At first I used bus boys, but I knew that the term was incorrect. I hope catering boys seem more appropriate! **

**Thanks for reading and PLEASE review!**

**Bleu Tsuki~***


	2. Banquet CH1 Part 2

**AN- Thank you for all of the reviews! **

**Now for a little ClosetConvo:**

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Hei wore a black tuxedo in case he had to blend in at the party as a bus boy. The item could be anywhere, and any number of contractors could be after it. It was best to dress in a way that allowed him more room to maneuver. What he didn't wear was his mask- no use wearing his trademark accessory in police HQ. That was practically begging for them to arrest him. Yet seeing how much progress the police had made on that goal, he probably had a good chance of escaping even under the worst of circumstances.

Misaki rose from her desk only half way done her second report. An hour had passed and she was beginning to wonder how long the banquet could go on. Party people like Kanimi had to crash and go to bed sometime, right? As if in response, people could be heard exiting the party above. Hmm, perhaps she could sneak upstairs and grab any leftovers to snack on while she worked. The one good thing about parties was that there was always good food…

Misaki said her goodbyes to the various exiting attendees, and made her way back to her office floor now, with an assorted tray of cookies. Absentmindedly, she opened the door across the hall, (as she had done many times that day, to grab different materials for work.) She walked in, flicked on the lights, and shut the door behind her. Turning around, she was met with an unusual sight:

"Li?" She exclaimed in surprise as she recognized her friend slumped on the floor. He looked up alarmed, like a deer in headlights, before giving her a timid smile.

"Eh, hi Misaki!" Li said with obvious delight.

WHY WAS HE IN HERE?

WHY WAS SHE IN HERE!

She tried to reopen the door, only to find that it had locked shut upon closing.

"Just great!" She complained.

Oh...that's why he was in here.

She vaguely remembered why they had a door stop, to keep the door open while inside the closet. Misaki looked back down at Li's innocent, smiling face and joined him on the floor with her tray of goods. If Li couldn't find a way out, then there probably wasn't one. If only she had her cell phone on her! But alas, there were no pockets in her dress, and Li had already told her before that he didn't own a cell.

"I- uh, grabbed some leftovers from the party. Here, have some." She shoved the tray closer to Li. He nodded gratefully- only having had 24 bowls of ramen before he came, after all.

"Thanks, Misaki! So how was the party? You went, didn't you?" Li inquired politely, while taking a bite of a cookie. Misaki sighed dramatically.

"I never really liked parties." …

"But surely you had some fun! That red dress really suits you." Li complimented genuinely. Misaki couldn't help the blush that crept up her face that stood out so boldly in the bright fluorescent light.

"Did you enjoy yourself as well?" Misaki wondered aloud, steering the conversation away from her and grabbing a chocolate chip cookie. Li had to be a bus boy or something. Why else would he be here?

"Well, I got here a little late and took a wrong turn. I've been locked here ever since." Li said sheepishly with a shrug of his shoulders. Not the best cover up story he had to admit, but it was believable enough to fool the genius Chief Kirihara.

"Oh no! That must have been terrible!" Misaki said, making a distraught face.

"Don't worry!" He reassured her while waving his hands. "Anyway, how has work been?"

Hei doubted that she would tell him all of the top secret info he needed to know, but a little small talk couldn't hurt.

Misaki thought back to all the cases yet to be solved. BK-201 was at the forefront of her mind, like always- even Kouno had noticed her obsession, and that was saying something.

"Good, I guess. There's just this one guy who we can never seem to capture." Misaki admitted to Hei. It was okay to tell him that much. It wasn't as if she were telling him about contractors or anything.

"Really? But you're the- the best!" Li expressed, fumbling over his words, causing Misaki to blush a deeper shade of red.

"Well, this guy is just everywhere and seems to be connected to every case! We can never find him though- or even have a hope to arrest him for that matter." Misaki sighed.

Wouldn't you just love to know that BK-201 is practically locked in police HQ as we speak? Hei thought bitterly.

"Oh, that must be tough." Hei agreed with his 'Li' air of innocence.

"I try not to stress about it too much. He's probably impossible to catch anyway..." Misaki trailed off, though sounding far from indifferent. On the contrary, she was way too passionate about his case.

"That's a good idea." Li approved with a nod of his head. The police would never catch him if he could help it. He didn't need Misaki feeling stressed over his freedom.

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The closet door creaked open again, causing both heads to turn, this time to reveal both Saitou and Kanimi.

"Wait! Don't close it!" Misaki immediately shouted as she jumped up. Kanimi stood stock-still in some surprise, but did as she was told, holding the door open with her hand.

"Eh… Hi, Li!" Saitou said with a small wave as he spotted Li in the back, before looking suspiciously between the two. Misaki and Li managed to avert their eyes and stare anywhere but at eachother.

"So this is why you wanted to leave the party early!" Kanimi teased triumphantly. Kanimi had a smug smirk on her face like she had just caught Chief Kirihara- the "goody-goody queen" - with her hands on some cigarettes.

"It's not-not what you think! The door locks upon closing and both of us got trapped at different times!" Misaki explained frantically.

*Misaki and Li quickly exited the closet.*

"Oh, well I'm glad that you're safe!" Saitou said, feeling like a ton of bricks had been relieved from his back.

"Yeah, we just came to look for you to tell you that the party was over! When we saw that you weren't in your office, and we heard some noise coming from in there…" Kanimi said.

"Thanks." Li replied. Yeah, thanks a lot. How was he going to loose these people now?

"Well, it's getting late. Good night!" Saitou yawned abruptly.

"Yeah, I agree." Kanimi said, following his lead and heading towards the exit. "Not like Misaki's going home any time soon." She muttered fondly. It was about time Misaki got to spend some quality time with the opposite sex.

"You aren't leaving yet?" Li questioned when the other two officers left down the hall.

"No, I've got a lot of work to do." Misaki told him, a frown gracing her face. "But, I think I can take the rest of the night off if you wanted to do something together." Hei's heart did a back flip, but managed to nod like it was no big deal. So what if he had a mission? It was postponed until tomorrow anyway, and he couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"Just let me put away some of my work."

Misaki reached for the handle of her office door when the power mysteriously flickered out.

**BK-201.**

She sucked in her breath and turned to Li terrified. She had to get him out of here!

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**AN- I always wished that Hei and Miskai went on more dates! OC in CH2!**


	3. January CH2

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing to all those who've taken the time to read this! I appreciate the feedback greatly. If you haven't yet, you know what to do! Type whatever, good, bad, suggestions, feedback, whatever! Just do it!**

As big a fan as I am of the series, I can't believe I always misspell Kanami's name. *sigh* Thank you Dear4Life and DarkerThanEvanescence for pointing this out to me!

And now for a little OC!

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January. The month is so bitter that it makes me sick. There's snow and slosh everywhere, and slippery iced roads that lead to too many car crashes. It's a shame that MI6 dubbed me as so. The name's supposed to be some sort of twisted tribute to the month when the agency first picked me up. It also happened to be the month when my half-sister died. If I could feel remorse, I would. Not because I wanted to feel remorse, but simply to feel what it's like to be human again.

Let me go back further, my parents died when I was pretty young. A typical sob story, yeah, I know, but this is what it is. My mother died, in childbirth- MY birth, and my father in a so called "lab accident." I don't believe it was an accident, though. No, now as a contractor, I can reflect rationally upon that day...

My father used to do some type of research on the Gate- right there I should have known that he wouldn't live for long. He researched on new Gate-based medicines, vitamins, basically anything that would enhance a person's natural abilities. Yes, perhaps that's why his entire unit got blown up. My half-sister, Yasmin, was there as well. But she didn't die in the explosion. No, she had already become what I am now. "A killer in human skin."

It was I who killed her. Because it was she that killed them, that killed HIM.

My hands clamped around her throat as soon as I saw the opening. If Yasmin couldn't breathe, she wouldn't be able to fulfill her payment of hyperventilating. When did she become a contractor? Was all that raced through my mind. I had heard the rumors, and my father had backed them as well. I knew exactly what type of monster she was as soon as I watched her glow blue and the entire building had burst into flames in response. She immediately took in deep breaths, and she then started to hyperventilate... Her price. My eyes had widened, dramatically so, from the discovery. Somehow, I had to stop her from breathing. A contractor who didn't fulfill their payment would die- or so I had heard. There really wasn't time for me to consider my options. I leaped and hoped against hope that when my sister couldn't breathe, she would die- if not first from suffocation. I was red in the face from jogging all the way to the laboratories. I was at the lab that particular morning when father had forgotten his lunch. Yasmin had left the house early on some errand, so she couldn't take it. It seemed that I never got to see her much nowadays. She didn't speak as much, or smile, just come home late, and leave early. No big deal. I had believed my father, who had fed me the story of Yasmin going through her "hard time in life." Now I knew it for the BS it was. My father practically killed himself. He was the expert on the gate after all, so how had he missed this? His one daughter, my older half sister. She was a contractor.

"Theo, get out of here." Yasmin warned as I approached her. Her voice was monotonous but with a razor sharp edge. Any moment she could kill me.

"You, you-" I stutter stupidly as I stumble on my own two feet.

"Dr. Greene was working on something he shouldn't. I had to stop him." Yasmin explained plainly. Dr. Greene... not dad... not her dad, our dad. She killed Dr. Greene.

"Yasmi-"

"It's Rose." She cuts me off bluntly. Rose? We stand there in silence before a piercing scream can be heard from the wreckage. Yas- Rose turns her head ever so slightly towards the noise. As I comprehend what she's about to do, it's already too late.

"No, Yasmin!" Her eyes glow a bright demon red as the building rekindles, charring the survivor alive. I had never seen a contractor use their powers before. At first glance, it's like magic, but really it's murder.

"But why not." She answers without looking at me. Her power is still in use, and she's focused entirely at the task at hand. After a few seconds, her radiation seems to dim as the flames are able to sustain themselves.

Step, clamp... I squeeze her neck as hard as my 14 year old self can. It's now or never. She is no sister of mine. She said so herself when she disregarded Dr. Greene as her father, our one common parent. She is a monster, it's okay for me to kill her. Yasmin's gone... she would never kill dad, but Rose, she would. I was saving thousands of lives by this one deed, by taking this one life- little did I know.

Her hands claw for breath, but I find new strength, and I keep them tight. Her eyes widen for a minute in shock before they dull facing the heavens. A star falls.

No father, no sister, all because of this monster, this contractor- Rose. I have nowhere to go now. Nowhere. No one. I killed Rose... Yasmin... Yasmin killed dad. My legs fail me. I sink into the freezing sidewalk. Snow begins to fall in torrents.

Freeze me, bury me. I cry myself to sleep with that one prayer under that cold January blanket.

I wake up to a weird prodding- someone's tapping me awake. Rose! I left her body next to me. I didn't think to move it. Are the police here? How could I be so stupid! I snap my eyes open to see a blond haired man in an expensive looking cream colored suit crouching over me. He has cool shades on and smells faintly of cigarettes.

"Are you Theo Greene?" He asks in a distinctive British accent. I look around and see only him. There's no police, so who is this guy? I don't know anything, so I tell him the truth. I nod.

"Hmm." He looks to my left, where Rose's body lays crippled. "So you changed yourself by killing your own sister." He mutters before offering his hand. I stare at it, disbelieving.

"What do you mean 'changed?' And THAT is not my sister." I retort with a nod towards her, before crossing my arms determinedly over my chest. Oddly, I feel no cold. He looks at me puzzled before breaking into dry laughter.

"Theo Greene, you don't know? You're one of us now. Monsters in human skin and all that, but-" He looks at Rose's body once more. "It seems you were already a monster." I glare at him, wishing to burn a hole in that nice suit with my eyes. How can he say that? I can't be, no. I'm not a contractor. Can't- can't be...

"That was a joke." He states without humor. "Actually, we would really like you to join us HS-720. My name is November 11." I finally understand why I don't feel the pain of cold, or the pain of killing Rose. I have no feeling. Everything makes sense now. I don't have a place to go, this man is offering me one. I unravel my arms and take November's hand. I'm already condemned, so I might as well go all the way.

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A/N- Sorry if the narration seems to skip around, but I think it gives the piece the overwhelming feel that January experiences. If that makes sense at all! I'll try and update every week, or shorter if I can manage. Please Review! It'll only take a second! It's tempting isn't it?


	4. Humor CH3

**A/N: How about a little humor? Don't see it? Just wait until the end.**

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Hei saw the fear held in Misaki's clear black eyes. Most likely for the safety of Li- It was a shame that he didn't exist.

So the others have made their move, Hei thought. Somehow, he'd have to retrieve the Gate item, protect Misaki, and avoid getting caught or killed by either one- no more complicated than he was used to.

"Uh. Misaki? Isn't there a back-up generator or something?" Hei asked her in response to the power outage. She shook her head that was a dim shadow against the darkness. She could hardly say that the power was out due to an emotionless killer who had the power to control electricity. Misaki would just have to get Li out and hope for the best, she could handle BK-201.

"Shhh, Li. We need to move NOW!" Misaki grabbed his arm, and with him in tow, ran to the stairwell at the end of the hall. "You need to get out of here! There's an extremely dangerous criminal in the building right now." Misaki whispered. She opened up the stairwell door and pointed down to where the emergency exit was located. Li looked back at Misaki. It was clear she wanted him out of harm's way, but he had no intention of going.

"A criminal! But, Misaki, are you sure you're going to be alright? You should be escaping too." Li's eyes were as big as saucers with concern written all over them. If he could lead Misaki out of the building so that he could deal with the contractors...

Bangs and booms like clapping thunder could be heard from down the stairs. Heavy steps, one by one, growing louder as something unknown approached.

'RUN, Li! See, this is_ EXACTLY_ why I don't go to parties anymore!' Misaki inwardly screamed, before feeling Li's hand on her own. Misaki looked down in surprise, but didn't pull her hand away. Something inside her quite liked the idea of holding hands with Li. As suddenly as she registered this fact, she was pulled away. Hei immediately took Misaki's hand and sprinted back the way they came, running past the closet and making a sharp turn to the right. He'd have to keep the officer around a little longer, but that was fine by him.

A little too late- Boom! The stairwell door blasted open causing drywall to fly everywhere. Through the debris, the new coming contractor could be seen: He was medium height with light brown hair that was cropped short. He sported a brown leather jacket, blue jeans and a mud-red tee.

**January.**

It was his first big mission. There would be no time to mess up or he'd be done for. He was just a pawn, like all the rest, and pawns could be sacrificed. Easy, rational.

MI6 had sent him after a vial containing a fluid from the Gate. The formula had been smuggled into police headquarters right under MI6's nose last week. Originally, it was supposed to go straight to PANDORA, but the Japanese had decided to keep it for themselves halfway through transport. Typical. It was his job to get it back.

"Sh*t!" Misaki screamed. Hei looked at her in surprise at the usually composed officer's outburst, but she didn't seem to notice. Misaki knew what BK-201 was after- the vial. The police had decided to postpone transportation of the fluid to PANDORA until a few tests were run. She didn't particularly agree with the idea of going behind MI6's back, but there was nothing she could do about it. Now that BK-201 was after it, there were bound to be others as well.

"Li, I need to check something, and then we can go, okay?" Well, she couldn't just leave him here to the mercy of the Black Reaper, now could she? Li wouldn't know what the vial was anyway, so she could bring him along...

Hei nodded. The item! He'd have to find a way to separate from Misaki and return as the Reaper in order to get whatever it was. But for now, she was leading him right to it.

January looked at the mess he had caused to the building already: 3 broken doors, 5 shattered windows. Even after 4 years of training, he hardly processed the grace that November maintained over his abilities- extraordinary strength. It may have helped to be partnered with a doll, but dolls were expensive, and couldn't be spared on a small novice mission like this. MI6 did, however, give him a nice map of the place. It showed every nook and cranny in the HQ, including where the item was located. The vial was stationed in a secret hallway behind the Banquet Hall. Only highly trusted personnel had access to it, not that many even knew it existed. The police didn't know it yet, but there was a serious flaw in their security system.

January walked boldly down the hallway with no fear of getting caught by either camera or cop. He had pinched off the building's power, literally with his fingers, and therefore the security cameras and specters all in one. This was going to be a piece of cake.

Misaki ran swiftly through the hallways like an Amazon. She knew this building like the back of her hand.

Vial, Banquet Room, Key, she thought to herself. Wait, KEY! Misaki stopped running. How had she forgotten it? It was in her office, just sitting in her purse. Just great!

As she turned around to exit the Banquet Hall, Li was nowhere to be found.

January neared the final floor, being environmentally savvy (and the fact that he had cut off the electricity,) he had taken the stairs. The stairs conveniently let him off at the banquet room door. Wow had the police got a lot of money! The door was most notably made from golden inlaid wood in the designs of trees. It was beautiful for a party room, but not entirely expected for the third floor entrance of police HQ. Maybe they had special guests in there? Damn his payment! His thoughts really did wander everywhere whenever he went at something full strength. January shook the frivolous thoughts from his mind and reached for the handle.

**Hei.**

"Yin." Hei whispered into his microphone. He waited a few minutes for her to reply as he took out his black trench coat from his back pocket. Surprisingly, it folded up nicely.

"Yes, Hei?"

"Yin, the mission's on, another agency has made their move, MI6 I think. Though it wasn't November." Hei shoved the coat on.

"I see him. He's going up the final stairs. Misaki's in the Banquet Room." Yin answered sleepily. She couldn't sleep, even when Huang had ordered her to, for fear Hei would be in trouble. Luckily, she had left a bowl of water next to her bed in case Hei did call again.

Misaki could handle herself, but then again, she didn't have her gun, or her cell phone or ... or anything. Perhaps he'd make a slight detour and grab her purse from her office.

"Where's the item?" Hei asked, sprinting down the stairs.

"I'm sensing something behind the Banquet Hall, but something is stopping my specter from seeing in- like a guarded wall." Yin said. Hei sighed- ironically, the police were getting too smart in their security. He reached Misaki's office and grabbed her handbag off of the clutter of papers strewn on her desk.

"How do I get in?" Hei ran up the stairs.

"Don't know."

Hei sighed; he'd just have to wait for Misaki to show him.

"I wouldn't move, MI6."

January stopped his hand and snapped around to face- no one?

"Who's-?"

Hei slipped behind him, right in front of the intricate wooden door. "What-?"

January turned to come face to face with the very face of death: The pure white mask of the Black Reaper.

"I said, don't move." Hei stated dangerously, getting ready to shock the brains out of this man. That's what MI6 deserved for killing Havoc... Hei grabbed January's throat within his gloved hand.

"Wait! Wait, I know- how to -get in." January wheezed. "Contractors will -always talk -to save -their own skin." He hadn't expected to betray his organization so soon. MI6 did pay him well after all and they had finally let him out into the real world of espionage! Already, he was acting solely on his contractor instincts.

Hei considered him without taking his hand off of January's neck. January waited, and assessing that he was not dead yet, a promise, albeit an abstract one, was a promise.

"You need to -dance, after you put the key in. The door's a Mus- musique Bocks."

What type of answer was that? Hei stared back at the new MI6 recruit with his intention in mind.

"I swear! I-!"

Hei knocked him out by electrocuting him. Even if what he said was veritable, this was a mission, and January was a simple pawn in his way.

Key? Dance? What had Hei gotten himself into?

* * *

**A/N-**

**January- "Was that really necessary? And what's with my lame payment and unusual price?"**

**Rose- "You killed me- I'm not showing you any sympathy."**

**January- "Not like you could anyway..."**

**Hei- "Is that all you care about? We need to get through a musical door! A door that requires us to dance! I am NOT dancing."**

**Me- "But you are!"**

**Misaki- "Really, Hourai? You installed a door that plays music and unlocks when you dance?"**

**Hourai- "No one would ever guess how to open it!... And it was on sale."**

**Me- "Would you dance if Misaki was your partner? Hmmm? How about Yin?"**

**Hei- *blushes* "Uh… That may change things."**

**Misaki-*tries to hide a blush* "I'm not dancing with the Black Reaper and that's final!"**

**November- "How about with me? I'm your favorite contractor after all."**

**Li- "Eh, hi, Misaki! Would you want to dance with me?"**

***Misaki looks between the two***

**Hourai- *sits back skeptically* "Really?" (This was how Hei was with the ladies?)**

**Misaki- "Well, I-"**

**November- "Li! I was just in the middle of asking Chief Kirihara to a dance."**

**Hei- *turns around and puts mask on* "I'll kill you, November!"**

**Misaki- "Uh, no fighting! I'll dance with_."**

**Me- *evil laughter* "Keep reading!"**


	5. Phone Call Part 2 CH4

**AN: Here's the rest of it! Again, there are varying lengths of chapters, so to make up for it, I'll post the next Chapter as soon as possible. Thanks so much!**

* * *

"Hello! This is Jack Simon. I can't reach the pho- Hello?"

"November, we have a change of plans."

Pause.

"Yes, and what are they, Decade?"

"The vial has been stationed in Tokyo's Police Headquarters against the agreement."

"Yes, I know." November sighed.

"You won't be going." Decade stated rather abruptly.

"Hmmmm... Seems pretty sudden. May I ask why?"

"We're sending January."

"Is that your _only_ reason?"

"We can't have you breaking ties with Chief Kirihara if you two encounter one another."

"Ah. I see. So why don't I just call her up and ask if we can have it?"

**...**

"That was a joke."

**"November!"**

"But, are you sure you want to give this mission to an amateur like him?"

"Yes. He has been trained by MI6 for the past 4 years. It's about time he's gotten a real mission."

"And what about the fact that he is Dr. Greene's son?"

"November, this is final. This vial will revolutionize the way we operate. I don't care if his father formulated it or not. He didn't know about it, and he won't care now."

"Well, I'll leave it to you, and hope Mr. BK-201 doesn't show up."

"BK-201's involved?!"

"Good- bye, Decade."

"**WAIT!** If January, and _only_ if January does not successfully complete this mission within 5 hours, you may go after him."

**…**

"Um...Hello? November?"

"It'll be a pleasure to visit our friends in Foreign Affairs!"

Click.

November was already dressed in his black suit and outside the darkened Police HQ building before even hanging up.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Me- "November's joining the party!"**

**Hei- "If you add any more unusual scenarios-"**

**Me- "Don't worry about a thing!"**

**Decade- "November, you already left for police HQ before I ordered you to?"**

**November- "Call it intuition if you will!"**

**Decade- *...***

**Me- "More November coming up!"**


	6. Key and Dance CH5

**CH5 Key and Dance**

**A/N: I had Ch5 and 6 in one, but decided to split it in two due to a slight plot twist!****  
**

* * *

**Hei.**

Hei dragged the unmoving body of MI6 agent January out of the way, leaving him slumped, doll- like, against the wall before quietly peaking inside the Banquet Hall. Misaki could be seen in the back of the room, staring at a solid looking wall that was covered by an elaborately embroidered curtain. Was she onto something?

'How the Hell am I supposed to open this? The key's downstairs, along with any number of contractors, and I'm not even sure where the key goes!' Misaki inwardly screamed.

_She should be paid overtime for this._

Misaki felt along the wall, pulling up the curtain as she went, since that seemed to be the most plausible place to hide a keyhole. The fact that the lights were still out didn't help much either. Her hands roamed the smooth surface until...jackpot! She had reached the edge of a doorway. The rest seemed covered by the drink table from the party. Misaki quickly shoved it out of the way, immediately spotting a tiny circle on the far right of the faint outline of the door.

"Good job, Chief Kirihara."

Hei stepped loudly into the once silent room, dropping her purse to the ground. Her heart skipped a beat-He had found her! At least one good thing about Li's disappearance was that he didn't need to meet BK-201. Misaki's head snapped towards the Black Reaper before spotting the item he had brought. Again, she raised her eyes to his mask. Shouldn't she be doing something?

"You're under arrest, BK-201! Put your hands be-" Misaki tried to get in a more assertive stance than crouching in front of a door. She knew she had no real power of influence since she was only a single person without any weapons. Damn! Why didn't she bring her gun? Or her phone?

Right- because they were in her purse. The purse at his feet.

"Do you know how to get in?" Hei asked her spontaneously, cutting off her catchphrase.

"Wha-?" Misaki was taken by surprise as she tried to process what he was asking. Get in? What was he talking about? He had the key, and she obviously wasn't stooping on the ground for nothing. He knew where the door was so all he had to do was put the key in and enter. Did he not know how to do that much? She was again startled when Hei reached inside her purse and threw the single small black key to her. Misaki skillfully caught it, astonished, before looking back up at the Reaper. He nodded, as if encouraging her to open the door. What the *%#* was going on? But she DID have the key, and she DID need to know if the vial was still intact...

Inserting the key into the hole, she turned it 270 degrees, until a faint pop could be heard.

Surprisingly, it didn't do a thing. She tried budging the door open, only to find that it wouldn't. It was the right key, so why wasn't it working? Her thoughts wandered over to what the Black Reaper had asked earlier: "Do you know how to get in?" Was there another part to this that she was missing? She nonchalantly looked over her shoulder to see the Black Reaper again. He hadn't moved at all from in front of the door, and his mask was slightly turned as if surveying the room- in disturbing resemblance to what she had just done a few hours ago.

He was slightly threatening, since she had a feeling she couldn't leave until he got what he wanted, but he hadn't hurt her. Actually, he had saved her once at Alice's Party... No! No! Misaki! Just because Wei didn't kill you, doesn't mean that BK-201 is a hero! And yet her thoughts kept drifting back to how mysterious and alluring Hei was.

"Do YOU know how to open it?" Misaki asked testily. His white mask was now turned towards her, and seemed to be floating eerily closer and closer.  
"We dance."  
"What!"

* * *

**November 11.**

The door burst open none too gently and right on cue, November came strolling in.

"Hello, Misaki!" He cried cheerfully, completely ignoring the presence of the Black Reaper. "He's not lying, you know. Apparently someone thought of buying a special 'MusiqueBocks Door' for the police department. They're supposed to be the latest thing in 'hip,' high security places."

Music? Box?

"A MusiqueBocks? Why would anyone want to get one of those?"

Misaki had heard of them: pieces of junk that rich parents got for their children's bedrooms, or for dance studios that wanted to get people 'involved'. Yes, hip was very much the proper term. November shrugged his indifference.

"Beats me. So would you care to dance?-"

Hang on. "I don't dance." Misaki stated flatly.

"Well, I'm not dancing with November 11." Hei cut in bluntly. Unlike the genius officer, Hei had in fact heard of the contraptions, including all of the rules it came with.

Unfortunately for him, each door has a unique set of rules…

"Misaki, you seem to misunderstand. As distasteful as it is, everyone in the room must dance with everyone else- it's how this program functions, so sooner or later..."

"Was that a joke, because I don't find it funny." Misaki stared him down, expecting any moment a smile to break across his face and for him to tell her all along that it had been a joke. That smile never came.

"Unfortunately, no."

"Who came up with these rules?" Misaki protested, her face livid with the unfairness of it all. That would mean... Hei and November, Misaki and Hei, and Misaki and November.

It turned out that Kanami was right: Misaki could kill in this dress.

The first person she'd kill would be the inventor of the MusiqueBocks.  
The second would be Hourai for buying it.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry for all of the uneven chapters and such, along with an irrational change of genre tones. But thank you to all those who've followed this fanfic thus far and have reviewed!**

**If you haven't, you know what to do :) *click* type in whatever, good, bad, suggestions, typos, just do it!**

**"She should be paid overtime for this." Remember this line since I shall reference it in the next CH or so.**


	7. Banquet Hell CH6

**A/N- I cannot believe this story has earned 14 awesome reviews! Just as a side note, I've edited a few things in the past chapters to make it flow a bit easier while reading. I don't expect anyone to go back and see the changes, but I just wanted to point out that I did. If something isn't flowing right, feel free to alert me of it- I didn't realize how hard it was to get through.**

**Without further ado, let's bring on Electricity, Ice, and guns!****  
****Banquet Hell:**

* * *

"Let's get this over with. BK-201, shall we?" November asked. He glided over to the door and pushed in a button that Misaki could have sworn was not there before. As soon as the door was activated, a fast paced tune streamed forth, filling the entire room. The Banquet Hall was lit solely by the myriad of stars whose light filtering in through the glass paned ceiling. They twinkled beautifully in mockery of the contractors they represented...  
November made his way back to the center of the Banquet Hall and, being the gentleman he was, extended his hand for Hei to take.

Hei looked at the gesture- his disgust hardly concealed beneath his mask- and ground his teeth so hard he felt his jaw might snap.

He was going to _KILL _Huang.

Imagining Huang wriggling on the ground due to a certain electric shock gave Hei the distraction he needed to accept November's hand.

Forget about Banquet Hall, this was Banquet Hell.

November immediately pulled Hei closer than the 5 foot distance Hei would much rather have preferred, causing him to unconsciously stiffen. But under the circumstances, no one could really blame him. Not even November, who, as a contractor, could not help but feel extremely awkward at the outcome of events. Sure, he was expecting to meet BK-201, he was also expecting a musical door, and running into Misaki- but perhaps adding it all together had somehow slipped his mind.

Returning to their current situation, a new issue arose:  
The girl in the dance would usually have their hand on the boy's shoulder and the other in their partner's hand…So who was going to be the girl?

The two contractors still had their hands linked, their chests facing each other as the same thought seemed to infiltrate their minds. Honestly, didn't the Black Reaper know how to dance? November thought with amusement. Perhaps he'd teach him…Taking the initiative, November made a grab for Hei's shoulder with more force than was really necessary. No way was he going to be the girl!  
In quick retaliation, Hei sent him an electric shock with an especially high voltage concentration, while keeping his mask diligently trained on November's face. The MI-6 agent winced slightly with a twitch of his eyes, but remained composed for the most part.

Well, Hei was going to be the girl it seemed. Disgustedly, he rested his gloved hand on November's waist, and decided to burn his gloves the next chance he got.

**Misaki.****  
**Misaki inconspicuously wandered towards her handbag and pulled out her gun. Now where was she supposed to put it?  
Sighing, she went back to watch how the two were progressing...  
What the Hell was going on? Perhaps she should leave this out of her police report...

**November.**  
_I only wanted to dance with him, and there he goes- he shocks me!_ Having thought of an idea, November's blue pupils flipped to red causing ice to form where the Reaper's feet were. Hei easily dodged these with graceful maneuvers. Oh how he wished to return the deed with a giant electric shock, but Misaki liked this man, and it wouldn't exactly help his image if November died on his account.  
"Truce?" Hei proposed shortly. November considered him, finally consenting. But not before he slyly aimed to freeze Hei's mask, hoping it would crack apart. To this, Hei classically stepped on his foot, and gave him one last warning jolt to make his perfect hair stand on end.

**Misaki.**  
BANG!

"Hey, stop it you two! You made a truce, didn't you?"  
The two men looked at her stunned, then looked at eachother- Who gave her the gun! If they did anything that displeased her, well BANG!  
"Of course, Misaki!" November reassured her with his smooth assuring tone. Obviously notwanting to be on the receiving end of her bullet.

**November.****  
**Turning to Hei- "I need to get through this door almost as much as you do. We can fight later." November joked in an attempt to keep his cool and shake off the shock_. In any case, at least I'm not holding his waist. _Yet, his eyes couldn't help but look down to Hei's attractive waistline and feel a pang of 'what if.'

**Hei.**  
_Just you wait, I'll kill you- There is no way I'm letting you live to tell the tale of the Dancing Reaper without paying first. _He stared down into November's icy blue eyes, silently daring him to step on his foot- then November would see what his electricity could really do without any holding back. And his hand was so conveniently near his heart- being the girl of the pair did have it's perks.

"How long?" Hei bit out, as he felt like they had been dancing forever. If Mao ever found out about this Hei knew he'd never hear the end. Mao would upload it to his backup server and remember it until...until the world ended.  
Mao, back up server, memories of Hei dancing with November- not a good combination.  
Thank God, Mao wasn't here- But Yin could be.

**Yin!**(Currently cracking a broad smile at Huang's hideout. "What is it, Yin?" Huang asks. "Nothing.")

**November. **

November pulled on a thinking face as if he were analyzing a complicated formula rather than recalling a simple time.

"Not long, I'd say this door requires 2 minutes per round." Hei didn't question November 11's certainty. January seemed to know about the door, and they were both MI6 after all. The police definitely had to up their security.

**Misaki.**

Misaki stood on the perimeter of the imaginary circle that the two contractors danced around. They did nothing fancy- not that she was expecting them to or was looking forward to any dips or tricks by the two- but their rhythm was superb and their footwork excellent which made up for the lack of interest. _I guess it comes with having a killer body and being a part time assassin,_Misaki contemplated while sighing, seeing as she was -and had-neither. She watched the two glide along the Hall almost wishing she were there with them- but it would make things just a little too awkward- November, Hei, and her holding hands. No. She was perfectly content in staying where she was...

It was the strangest feeling for the police chief knowing all too well that both contractors could turn around and kill each other on a moment's notice, and yet, here they were dancing for a simple vial. Contractors truly had an odd way of thinking. What was the vial for anyway?

November couldn't help but smile at Misaki looking calculating at them both. The situation was absolutely ridicules and she still had the ability to look on so seriously.

"Don't be jealous, Misaki! You'll have your turn!" November called out to her.

As expected, Misaki's head shot straight up at the comment. Then as she understood what he had been saying, fought to hide a blush that appeared seconds later.

**November 11.**  
Was it just him or did Misaki just blush? She was so cute when she showed emotion! Wait, how could he even say that? He had April! So why was Misaki so attractive when she tried to hide her face?  
Perhaps she had feelings for him- or could it be BK-201? Or was she simply so stunned at his comment?

**Misaki.**  
Jealous? Ha, haha...  
Oh, she couldn't even lie to herself. How many times had she dreamed about the Black Reaper? Catching him, arresting him, kissing him... How long would she stay up at night just gazing at his star alone? Now for the sake of all three's personal agendas she couldn't even think of dancing with him without blushing like a hormonal teenager.

Then there was the ever charming November 11. She was close to him, she'd admit that. They were the perfect example of how contractors and humans could co-exist. But it was only professional, just for work...  
right? She wasn't so sure.

She wanted- dare she think it- she wanted to dance with them both.

* * *

**A/N-****  
****I don't know much about dances or dancing, so bear with the lack of detail and try to imagine November and Hei doing your favorite dance. I'll give you a minute to think that over...****I'm a big fan of November 11 but November/Hei doesn't seem to work with me. However, a dance can't hurt!**

**Me- "What ever happened to Li and January? That random chapter about January's back story wasn't there for no reason!"**

**January- "I beg to differ."**


	8. Chapter Seven, Banquet Heaven

CH7 Banquet Heaven

**A/N- Thank you to those who've pointed out my multiple writing mistakes, and who've enjoyed this fanfic enough to review!****  
****Yin no Piano is one of the best songs on the Darker Than Black soundtrack. I suggest you listen to it as you read this. :)****  
****January will tie in at the very end of this story, no need to worry.****  
****As helpfully suggested, thoughts shall henceforth be in _italics_. Thank you **_Destinies Entwined**!**_

* * *

**Banquet Heaven.**

* * *

After an eternity, November and Hei briskly split apart. This left the three attendees of the After Banquet to stand, carefully watching each other, as the song transformed into a slow waltz.  
**  
****Misaki.**  
_Do I dance with the Black Reaper because it's a slow dance? Or do I wait for the final song, and do this one with November? _Misaki couldn't decide- couldn't sort her mixed up emotions to make a decision.

"Misaki? Care to join me?" November asked, breaking through her thoughts like a pick on ice. He stood in his black suit, with his blond hair swept above his stunning blue eyes. He was the contractor version of prince charming, and , er, James Bond. November's hand stretched out leisurely for her to receive, but Misaki only glanced at it nervously-  
"Like I said- I don't dance...But I'll try." Misaki stammered in her stupor. Subconsciously, she walked towards November and clasped his hand firmly. He, in turn, placed his hand on her waist, and she rested her hand on his shoulder.

And so the second dance commenced.

**November.**  
Can contractors be jealous? Because I'm sensing distinct hostility from Mr. BK-201 over there. Not that that was entirely unexpected but still, something seems off. He's not - he doesn't have feelings for Misaki does he? His mind processed all that he knew about the two. The blush he had witnessed earlier from Misaki jumping to the forefront of his mind. Or maybe she does she for him? He'd let the Black Reaper have her when Hell froze over. Although Hell was already here.

"Odd, it seems Mr. BK-201 has taken a liking to you, Chief Kirihara."  
November watched her face intently for any sign of change, but to his frustration, she maintained her blank expression. Not even a twitch. It was probably years of practice.

"November!" She hissed. How could he say that? It was definitely untrue- and, and why did he care anyway?

"That was a joke." November covered up lazily, obviously not meaning it at all. He led her into another turn around the room.

"Were you trying to get a reaction out of me?" She burst out at him, in a particularly loud whisper. What did November know, or care- or wait, Did BK-201 like her?  
November considered her for a minute- head tilted to one side.

"Certainly, just be careful." He advised. Misaki felt herself looking down as she listened to what November said. It didn't help that she could feel Hei's eyes boring into the back of her figure.

**Hei.**  
He watched the couple, who, at first, shuffled awkwardly into position. Hei knew simply from watching that he would have to be the leader in this dance- Misaki was just too self-conscious. It was a good thing that he was the Black Reaper and not Li right now because Li's personality would have hardly allowed him to ask the chief of police to a dance. Whereas when he was the Black Reaper, he could make the impossible, possible.

Hei watched Misaki longingly- the way her body flowed, her curves, and sexy black hair. Would he give anything to be with her! Apparently, Hei must have been focusing on her assets a little too much as November's comment reached him.

Watch it, November! He thought angrily. November could kill him, but there had to be a line somewhere when it came to his personal interests! High expectations- tall order.  
But the way Misaki had reacted- had she shared Hei's feelings? All hope was not lost! At the very least she had snapped at November and that was worth something.

Soon, their dance would be over and Hei would have his turn. He could ask Misaki to dance just as he had wanted to a mere few hours ago. He could have his fantasies- amidst the violence and the chaos- he could have his heaven.

**Misaki.**  
Misaki could feel November's well toned muscles sleekly concealed beneath his suit. Her eyes widened at the new discovery, causing November to smirk. Contractors were obviously strong- but November never looked bulky. In any case, she was surprised.

Hei continued to glare on the sidelines, much to November's pleasure.  
Was November trying to get himself further up his hit list?

November would see how far he could push it. Push Misaki's boundaries, the Reaper's buttons...

"Will you do a twirl-"

Misaki immediately shook her head. She was a cop, not a ballerina. Yeah, some cop she was, about to dance with the Reaper...

"No."

"But, Misaki." November lowered his voice seductively and also so that Hei had to strain to hear. "Just once?"

November's dancing style was firm and accurate, but it wasn't exactly flexible. If she did a twirl- which in no way she would- it would look like one of those cheap music boxes at the convenience stores- the ones with the ballerina figure inside. In no way would she degrade herself THAT much tonight. Misaki! Why aren't you focusing on the vial? You have a duty as a police chief to protect it! However, her dominant sense of justice overrode it: It was MI-6's in the first place- Why shouldn't she help return it? And if that meant to dance with the two most dangerous contractors alive, so be it. She'd drop her request for being paid overtime and hope for dear life she wouldn't be fired. Wouldn't be arrested for helping MI6 take back what was theirs. Wouldn't be arrested for allowing two other organizations into the real Banquet Hall- and dancing with them.

"N- time's up." Misaki stated offhandedly as she picked up on the change of music. It wasn't a waltz or a fast paced tango- it was a piano piece... Familiar, yet entirely unknown- like so many things in her life. Misaki drifted away from November and shut her eyes to listen.

**Hei.**  
Yin! Her specter rose from the pitcher of water remaining on the drink table. What was Yin doing? Was everything okay?  
Then he heard it.  
How? Why? It was HER playing on the piano. HER fingers dabbing lightly on the keys. Yin's Piano. The notes rose and fell like sakura blossoms on a strong warm breeze. She knew how much this meant to him. Yin, he'd make this count.

**Yin. (Slightly Earlier)**  
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Huang demanded gruffly as Yin emerged from her bedroom. Mao, who had been eating some tuna, jumped up onto the arm of the sofa to listen.  
"To play." Yin answered, walking past him as if he were nothing but air. Huang looked at Mao puzzled, before lying back down on the couch. He had had an exhausting day and it wasn't his responsibility to chaperone his team of freaks on their nightly errands anyway.  
"Follow her, will ya?" He ordered lazily to Mao, trying to sink back into sleep.  
Mao gave him a nod in the affirmative before trotting out after the doll.

"What is it? Is this about Hei, again? He can handle himself, and his star is still up there... Yin?"  
Mao continued to follow her as she exited the tobacco stand, and headed towards the city's center.  
"There's a piano at the outside theater. Can you stream it into Police HQ?"

**Banquet.**  
When Misaki opened her eyes, she was startled to find BK-201's hand in front of her. She raised her eyes to his mask, to reassure herself that he was really there_. I wonder what his face looks like. _She thought as she reached for his hand, but then she hesitated:

On one side, she desperately wanted to dance with him, but on the other, she couldn't let her emotions get the better of her.

November wandered over to the MusiqueBocks, and grabbed a glass of water off the drink table. He didn't need to see BK-201 and Misaki hit it off. He didn't owe the Reaper a single thing, but for Misaki, he'd give her some privacy. November slipped out of the room soon after...

Yin's piano played in the background. The pitches dancing up to the top note, before sliding back down again.  
"Misaki?" Hei asked her. That seemed to break her out of her thoughts. Finally placing her hand within his gloved one. The two got into position, and before starting off, looked at each other in a type of mutual fondness.

Not exactly love, but definitely not hate- it was a weird type of relationship that only Misaki and Hei could have pulled off.

**Misaki.**  
Lucky, he has a mask. If only I had one right now- I can't stop blushing! Soon my face will match my dress- and what a dress- although I suppose I should thank Kanami somewhere around now, and Hourai too if I weren't so intent upon strangling him in it.

**Hei.**  
Hei couldn't help but get lost in her eyes. As cliché as it might have sounded, Misaki's eyes were like no other. They were brown, but warm? Was that possible? They held a type of light in them that one did not witness often when among assassins. Pai's eyes were always a deep blue, and Yin's were bright pink. Both were startling, but distant and perhaps a little sad. And Amber- her's were the beautifullest amber he'd probably ever see. Even so, they all paled in comparison to this shade of brown. Everything paled in comparison to Misaki.

"What's the deal with the vial anyway?" Misaki asked.  
_God, Misaki_, she chided herself, _way to have a romantic conversation.__  
__Who said it was romantic?__  
__November left didn't he?..._

**Hei.**  
The vial? So THAT was what he was sent after. Why couldn't Huang just have told him? Right, it was Huang. But it wasn't like Hei was completely unaware about breakthroughs in Gate research. Logically, Huang didn't have a reason not to tell him- unless- unless there was something else he wasn't supposed to know.  
So Misaki wants to know about the vial? Doesn't she already know or - oh, she wants to know why WE want it. Well, if that was what she wanted to talk about, it couldn't hurt:

"You've heard of Dr. Greene, correct?" _How much did she know?_

"Didn't he die in a lab accident a few years ago?" It had been in the newspapers and on television- a spontaneous fire that consumed the entire Kyoto Laboratory.

"It was an accident of sorts."

"Meaning?" _Meaning? Duh,_ _Misaki,_ she thought, _contractors!_

"Our agent, Rose, was sent to kill Dr. Greene. We thought he had discovered a way to kill contractors- but the organization's assumptions were wrong." Wrong? A mistake upstairs could lead to so many unnecessary deaths- not like when they reached the correct conclusions, it led to necessary ones- still...

"So Dr. Greene could have been alive now if not for that."

Hei nodded. "That vial contains everything he ever researched. If it doesn't kill contractors, then it still does something."

"I see."

Misaki's brow furrowed in thought, a wrinkle forming on her forehead. So both MI6 and BK-201's organization wanted the vial to find out what its effects were. And the police? Why were they even involved?  
The couple stayed silent for a while after as the result of their longest conversation to date.  
Misaki quietly observed that the Reaper was as muscular as November 11, if not more- which meant that behind the mask and coat, he was just as handsome! This brought a smile to her face, imagining what his would look like. She could try and rip it off of course, but that probably wouldn't be a good plan, leaving her thoughts to drift towards his dancing style. The Black Reaper's dancing style, while fluent, was very different. It balanced out the gracefulness with the strength, unlike November's style which was precise and proper. If anything- they were both much better than her's.  
Misaki's hand was in Hei's, and the other was on his shoulder_. I'm dancing with the Black Reaper, _she thought in awe.

Just barely under a minute and a half, Misaki managed to make the first mistake. Her timing was off just a tad, and so was apparently was her judgment and focus. With the events of the night, her dancing skills were hardly up to par.  
She intended for her foot to land further to the right, but instead, she slipped-partly thanks to the ridicules red heels she wore- causing her to plummet towards the ground. Time seemed to slow down as she fell and she imagined the pain of cracking her head upon impact. Just as suddenly, her trip stopped short- Looking up, she saw the Reaper's mask nearly an inch away; and underneath her, she felt his strong arms supporting her. She felt more like a damsel in distress than any Section Chief. Misaki was just lucky and relieved that all of the security cameras were off so that they couldn't record her grace. There was no way she'd let anyone know about this night- not even Kanami who would undoubtedly press her for details with her night with... Li. Where was he? She'd worry about that later.

Misaki's head was about a foot above the ground, her black hair skimming the wooden ground. Hei leaned further down and in a hushed, seductive tone, whispered in her ear. After hearing what he had said, she shut her eyes in a moment of bliss, and gave him a nod. Hei sustained her back, as she gracefully bent backwards into an arch. Her hand released it's hold on Hei, as she swept it to the floor. The princess in red and the knight in black. Their fantasies. Their heaven. She wouldn't dance, she couldn't dance, but for this one time, she'd try.

The door opened loudly to admit November 11 back into the room. He seemed to be talking to someone else out in the hall before, but now facing front- there was only one thing he could see. For once, November was the one stuck frozen.

**Misaki.**  
"Bend back, Misaki. Please?" His voice was slightly muffled and darkened by his mask, adding to the effect of mystery and allure. Hei could be very influential when he wanted to, and it helped that she was practically already in position. There was only one thing she could do.

The door opened, and although Misaki couldn't see him, she imagined November having a heart attack.

**Hei.**  
His request was wonderfully executed. Who knew Chief Kirihara could dance? Her back was arched, with her feet barely on the ground, and her hair cascading down behind her. It seemed like a spontaneous decision for her to comply - but she was letting go of all rationality tonight. Tonight was her Heaven as well. There was no logic in Heaven's Gate.

**November.**  
_...__  
__?__  
__I leave for a minute to seek out January and come back to- ?__  
__What is going on? And she's arching for him? When she wouldn't do a simple twirl for me? I guess it can't be helped._ He studied Misaki's gracefully arching body, the way her long hair and limber arms were hanging behind her. Misaki really was a beautiful woman, he conceded.  
Yin's piano faded into the background to announce the conclusion of the final dance round. Hei carefully supported Misaki's back, until she was standing once again. When the last of the music sounded, the MusiqueBocks emitted a bright green light before ultimately swinging wide open on its hinges.

November smirked at Hei saying,  
"Ladies first? I meant Misaki." Hei had no problem with that. Misaki could go in and get the vial first, but he knew that he would be the one leaving with it. Hei maintained a casual stance, yet remained poised to fight- something quite difficult.

Misaki watched the exchange carefully, focusing on keeping the blush from spreading to her face, before resolving to enter the vault. She ducked her head below the low MusiqueBocks frame, and emerged into a high ceilinged hallway. Walking down it, she finally glimpsed the vial that everyone was after. Sitting daintily atop the metal shelf, was the tiny glass container filled with a dark red liquid. Misaki opened the vault door and pulled it out. The liquid swished around as she touched it-and it glowed.

November was the first to register the bright synchrotron-like glow- he had been warned that the substance reacted quite unusually with certain people. Leave it to Misaki to be one of those people... With a sigh, he turned to Hei.

"I suppose we should help her."

* * *

**A/N: What do you think of Misaki's dancing partners? Yin's music? The vial?****  
****Review and I'll be sure to incorporate your ideas/suggestions/feedback.**

**Bleu Tsuki~***


	9. Vial CH8

**CH8 Vial**

**AN- I moved the Prologue in front of the first CH, which in turn moved all of the chapter numbers down one. Sorry if that's confusing!****  
****Also... I'm now beta-ing so if anyone needs a beta reader PM me!**

* * *

**Document on Dr. Greene's desk as the Kyoto lab burnt down:**

Dr. Greene

Kyoto Gate Laboratories (KGL)

Substance: J6

Appearance: dark red liquid

Density: .263 g/cm3

Properties: ominous blue radiation

Cause: exposure to great emotion

Effects: can un-suppress memories; relive a past moment, death

Purpose: access to Heaven's Gate

* * *

**A week ago.**

Hei reached for the crinkled newspaper left abandoned on the park bench. The Syndicate had just had a meeting to discuss a doll trafficking situation and afterwards, Yin had taken Mao someplace, leaving Hei alone to enjoy the rest of his evening. That was until he spotted the paper that Huang had previously used to nonchalantly hide behind. What did Huang read about anyway? He always seemed to have the paper in front of him…

Hei quickly skimmed through the headlines- mysterious deaths, best selling books, anime- before noticing a number of bent corners on the bottom. It had been Huang's newspaper so what had been so interesting that he had decided to mark it? Or so abstract that he could have left it on the bench for anyone to pick up? Curiosity prompted him to turn the page.

**Tokyo Metropolitan News:**

"Kyoto Labs Previously Under Investigation, Burned" was the title of the small article. Hei guessed that most people would have just skipped by the whole page, but Huang had obviously thought different. Words jumped out at Hei as he continued to read:

"Reports of mysterious disappearances...

Shady research...

Test subjects or victims?...

Overtime...

Locals say they've never seen Dr. Greene, his research or his employees...

Dr. Greene has been known to research new Gate based medicines...

all rumor...

absolutely true...

A new twist has drawn our attention to this issue. The Lab has been burnt down!...

Let us remember Dr. Greene's two children who've also died in the fire while taking their dad's lunch to his work, Yasmin (16) and Theo Greene (14)...

bodies burned in fire...

all research destroyed..."

Hei folded the paper back up and threw it into the trash. It had the Gate written all over it and that was the last thing he needed.

* * *

**AN:**

**Hei- "Could you make it even shorter?"**

**January- "It got the point across, so stop yelling at Bleu Tsuki!"**

**BT- "Sorry! But I thought this chapter would give us a nice break from the lengthy chapters surrounding it. If you could even call 2,000+ words lengthy."**

**Misaki- "Something's glowing in my hands! _Deactivate_ it already!"**

**BT- "Again, sorry! You're just going to have to wait for the next chapter. But don't worry, you're the heroine- I can't kill you off."**

**Misaki- ***...*** "Thanks?"**

**Huang- "You read my paper?"**

**Mao- "Well really, Huang, what did you expect him to do?"**

**Huang- "Oh, I don't know, start the mission I gave him?"**

**November 11- "What drama in the Syndicate!"**

Chapter 9 will bring everything together: Girl and Cat.


	10. Girl and Cat CH9

**CH 9 Girl and Cat**

**AN- Time to bring all of the side stories together! 2,000 views and counting! Honestly, I never expected more than a hundred... wow! Thank you to everyone who has read, and please finish to the end! You've read this far, haven't you?**

* * *

Misaki held the small vial tightly in her hand. Even though it had glowed a bright blue a second before, it didn't give off any radiation now. _Safe._ She heaved a sigh of relief as November 11 and Hei burst in through the darkened hallway.

"Everything alright, Misaki?" November inquired with a cool air, smoothing down his spotless black suit and giving her a pleasant grin.

"Never better." She replied dryly, holding up the vial for him to see how well off she _really_ was. His eyes raised to study it, a swishing red liquid in a glass vial. It seemed perfectly fine now, lapping happily in it's 3 cm diameter bottle.

"Well, I'll be taking it now."

"Fine." Misaki replied with a pointed look as she handed over the item. "But it wasn't me who gave you this."

**November 11.**  
_I thought BK-201 would put up more of a fight... I guess not._

He spun around with Misaki behind him, in order to exit the small compartment, however, when he did so there was only the empty hallway before them...

**Misaki.**  
Sh*%! She had missed another opportunity to capture BK-201! From experience, she knew that he would be long gone by now, leaping from rooftop to rooftop into the night... for some odd reason, it saddened her. Oh, what was she kidding? She was borderline devastasted!

**Hei.**  
After quietly slipping away from the two, Hei carefully tucked his bullet-proof trench coat into his back pocket with his mask stowed inside. (His weapons weren't on him at the moment, so they posed no inconvenience.) It was easy for Hei to blend in with the shadows, and soon he was out of the MusiqueBocks door.  
Emerging into the starlight of the Banquet Hall, a girl of silver could be seen. _A girl and a cat._

* * *

**Before.**  
Since the moon disappeared, playing piano under the night sky seemed empty to Yin. There was no more silver light, just the watching stars. Tonight though, the silver light would be the one watching the stars- if that made any sense. She smiled contentedly to herself, not even needing to use her fingers, at the thought of Hei dancing with Misaki Kirihara. He tried to hide his feelings of course, but Yin knew perfectly well that Hei harbored feelings for the police chief.

After playing for their dance, Yin had come with Mao to a secluded pond that had a small wooden bridge. Mao had decided it was best to give Huang some beauty sleep before they burst into the apartment again. Yin's feet dangled freely in the still water, wondering if one day she'd see the moon's reflection in it once again. But that was only a side thought, as her consciousness roamed about the Police Headquarters. Clearly, as if she was there, she could see that the MusiqueBocks had swung open, and then that the three attendees were looking at each other. After seeming to reach a consensus, Kirihara went through first, climbing into the door with grace and disappearing through a hallway. Yin's specter arose from the water on the drink table, unnoticed by the two contractors, before a bright blue glow filled the room.

Immediately, Yin pulled her specter back out with widened unfocused eyes.  
"Mao?"  
"What is it, Yin?"  
"The vial's reacting. We need to go now."  
"Where?"  
"Hei." She said simply.  
She stood up abruptly from the soft grass floor, and walked the path back up to the street.

"Yin!" Mao called after her, still resting on the bridge. Uh! She was getting too independent for her own good. "I didn't- Yin!"  
Flipping upright, he followed after the doll until his earpiece began to buzz.

"Mao! What's taking so long?" Huang's sleep deprivation leaking into his already impatient voice. Should he tell him the truth?  
"We're kind of headed for Police Headquarters." Mao told him, preparing for the bomb to drop. He kept his eyes trained on the doll ahead of him.  
"**WHAT!** Where are you right now?"

"...Right outside."  
"Ma- uh, whatever! Just make sure Kirihara and MI-6 don't see you with Hei, and get that goddamn vial already!"  
Mao could handle that.

"Understood."

* * *

**Banquet. Present.**

"Mao, why are you here?" Li demanded of the two agents.  
"Huang wants the vial already." Mao stated shortly. Huang's impatience really didn't need to be explained.  
"Well, he'll have to wait a bit." A frown gracing his face. "Now hurry- Yin, take Mao and hide in the kitchens." Li ordered, sensing the arrival of the fast approaching company.  
"Right, let's go, Yin" Mao said, jumping from the young lady's arms and onto the carpet with a tinkle of his bell.

**Misaki.**  
What was the vial supposed to do anyway and why had it glowed with what looked like synchrotron radiation? It didn't matter now though, it was out of her hands- literally. November had pocketed the fluid inside of his suit as soon as she had placed the vial in his hands. Hourai need never know about this night...  
Ducking once again to exit the secret hallway, she spotted... Li? Oh, thank God he was alright! Where had he been the whole time?  
But he wasn't alone.  
"Li!" Misaki called out to him.  
"January, stand down!" November ordered.  
Both didn't hear quickly enough.

**January.**  
January had just awoken from his unconscious state, aroused by the ominous light seeping in through the doors. Gathering his bearings, he stood up and became aware of a throbbing headache. Uh! What happened? He thought, grimacing as he tried to shake the dull aching loose. Unfortunately, it was too much and deciding that he was no use in the hallway, thrust open the door. Perhaps beating someone up would help clear his mind.

* * *

**Fashionably late.**  
Li's back was to the recruit as he watched to make sure Mao and Yin were safely hidden. As Misaki and November shouted their warnings, January had already lunged- his fist backed by the force of a crate train. Aiming at the unsuspecting Reaper, he missed by only inches, managing to punch only air. What? He never missed! Again he tried to land a hit, but this time he saw Li quickly sidestep out of the way. _Who was this guy?_ January thought, staring at the innocent looking Chinese man in a mixture of frustration and awe.  
"Um, who are you?" Li asked in a quivering voice. Li raised his arms to protect his face as he ran around the room in a panic. _So much for awe._

Misaki and November were present, therefore Hei couldn't do much, but oh how he wished to put the new agent in his place. The fact that January was MI-6 only added to the temptation.

**January.**

January never missed, and he wasn't about to start now. If he was a pawn- a contractor who could smash the world to bits- than this civilian was less than a pawn. Easily disposable: January went right along after him, bashing his fists into the walls and floors, devastating the Banquet Hall's once polished appearance.

**BANG!**

"Everybody, listen here. Stop your frolicking this instant!" November ordered beside the police chief who clutched her loaded gun. The two froze in place. January- too tired to continue this chase anyway- walked obediently up to the two. Li followed after, taking care to act surprised and truly terrified.

"November, what are you doing here?" January asked forcefully. This was HIS mission!

"Never mind-"  
"Wait, now hold it! You're not supposed to be here?" Misaki asked November with narrowed eyebrows. He shrugged.

"There was a change of plans. I actually was only allowed to go because-" November's eyes shifted warily over to Li.  
Misaki had shouted his name first when January was about to attack him. Misaki was obviously acquainted with the man and November was pretty sure that Misaki wouldn't like his memories to be erased.  
"-Well, we were sure a certain someone would come." November finished awkwardly. The man, Li, only saw January, and for all he knew, January was just a very strong and angry person. Perhaps his memories could be saved if he refrained from talking about anything and if January would stop acting like an idiot. If only...

"Did you get to check whatever it was?" Li asked tentatively to the police chief.

"Hai." She nodded, praying that no one else would further clarify what 'whatever it was' was.

"You mean the vial?" January blurted.

"Vial?" Li asked, eyebrows raising.

"N- it's nothing." Misaki said averting her eyes away from his. _November, you better be able to control that new recruit of yours!_

At that particular moment, the vial decided to emit a brilliant blue light that filled the entire room.  
"Whoa!" Li breathed.

"It's completely normal. It's a new glow stick- flashlight." November said desperately, as he reached into his pocket to cover up the light.

"Are you kidding me? That's anything but normal! This was my mission anyway, so why don't you give it to me before it kills you." January demanded.

"I thought you were both MI-6?" Misaki interjected. His name was January after all, what was she supposed to think?

"Oh, we are, but this- wait, kills me?"

"Sure," January said, as he aimed a surprise kick at November who easily dodged it. His head was starting to buzz again and he was now extra frustrated that his chase had been cut short. November wasn't even supposed to be here, which made him the perfect candidate for his punching bag.

"That's what they say anyway." Punch, dodge.

"My father- his research meant more to him than the entire world." _Why did his mind have to wander to memories of the past? Of the past and painful. _Slap, lunge... dodge.

"He even went and got himself killed over it." Punch, block.

"Anyway, he ignored Yas-" January shook his head and smirked in a twisted type of satisfaction. "Rose and I, and I got so mad I tore through the house looking for his research."

At this, November's eye lit up in a type of recognition. Eager to hear what HS-720 knew about the substance, November refrained from freezing him just yet.

"I read everything, and when I was done, I burned it all. He said he researched medicines, but that was all just a cover up. I didn't understand it then, but Rose was right, he was studying something better left untouched!"

The fury that had built up inside of him was finally out. Li's eyes sparkled with realization. January was Theo Greene, and Rose was his sister.

* * *

**Five Minutes Later.**  
January's breathing slowed down to normal, and November released his hand that he had previously grabbed.

"When father found out- about the research and all- he locked us outside for a day and bolted all the doors. Yasmin ran off somewhere to cry and when she came back a week later, I hardly recognized her. You can guess what happened to her." January heaved a sigh. Li, too, couldn't also help to feel a little for the contractor. Like that was possible...  
"Anyway, I'm sure you know of Heaven's Gate. Theoretically, it still exists- according to Dr. Schroeder. My father wanted, or rather, was assigned, to gain access to that area of space, and maybe save some lives or maybe save some of those contractors to be used again." January wrinkled his nose in disgust, before remembering something and smirking.

"It hasn't really worked out though. All it does is suck people into that area of space. They aren't deaths per se, but you're as good as gone."  
January finished his rant, collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion. "So can I have it?" January asked, offering his open palm.

"As much as that story touched me, I don't think I can. Your little remuneration there gave us one too many details. You're too emotionally attached, for a reason I don't know." November replied.

"It's going to kill you, you know." HS-720 said indifferently. "Just like it did to my father. But if you don't believe me, then-"  
January sprang up and aimed a surprise punch to November's face. This time, he did not miss his mark: causing November to duck to the ground in defense and cause ice to spread across the floor.

So much for sparing Li's memories, this brat needed to be put in his place.

**Mao.**  
"What the Hell are they talking about in there?" Mao hissed as he pressed his velvety ear to the door. He caught words like 'Rose,' 'Gate,' and 'Dr. Schroeder,' but none of it made any sense.

"The new MI-6 recruit, January, is sharing his life story." Yin answered.

"Yes, but what does that have to- oh, it's his payment."  
Yin nodded.

"That's an odd payment." She said thoughtfully.

They stood silent for a moment before the sounds of a starting fight leaked through the kitchen doors.

"Hey Mao, do you have any more of those smoke bombs?"

* * *

**AN:**

**Li- "I do NOT _frolic!_"**

**November- "Looked that way to me..."**

**Misaki- "Where were you?"**

**Li- "Hmm, well, ah..."**

**January- "Never mind, give me that vial before I punch your face in!"**

**April- "That's tough talk coming from a newbie. Why don't we just freeze him, November?"**

**November- "You don't know how much I want to."**

**Misaki- "Well control him before we have to ME Li's memories!"**

**Li- "ME? What's that?"**

**January- "It's a gate based tech- Ouch! What was that for?"****  
**_*takes giant icicle out of arm*_

**April- "For being a brat, that's what."**

**November- "You're an _angel,_ April!"**

**April- "No problem!"**

**January- "I'll get you first, April."**

_**BANG!**_

**Misaki- "You threaten April again and the next one is going in your head."**

**January- "Hey look! There's _"**

Bleu Tsuki "Now, please **_review!_** Any suggestions are extremely valuable! Did you like January's monologue?"

**Next Chapter: Smoke Bombs**


	11. Smoke Bombs

**CH10 Smoke Bombs**

**AN- Thank you for reading and reviewing!**  
**Also on request, I will try not to skip around a whole lot. I think the last chapter was just extra confusing because I wanted to get in everybody's point of view before the event actually happens. This chapter has everyone already gathered so perhaps it will flow easier!**  
**Regardless, thanks for the 21 reviews! Frankly, I never expected any...**

**Smoke Bombs:**

* * *

Ice spread from November 11 in a beeline for January's feet. The frost curved away from Misaki ad Li, but it had no mercy on the rest of the devastated room. In seconds, the Banquet Hall was a frozen disaster.

"Give it up, November! It's mine by inheritance!" January shouted, as he tried to pull on his legs. Unfortunately, a thick layer of ice had already glued him down, making it nearly impossible for him to move. It was obvious that he was defeated and January soon realized this, falling awkwardly silent.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I really should be getting back to Decade."

November strolled over to where Misaki's handbag lay abandoned on the floor, snatched it up, and returned it to the lady in red, smiling all the while.

"Keep out of trouble, Misaki, and thanks for the dance." He said, while fitting on his shades. She gave him a dubious look as she held out her hand, and he plunked her bag into it. Keep out of trouble, yeah, right. In her line of work?

"So you're just going to leave me here with this damaged 7,845,243 yen banquet hall and your agent trapped in ice?" She protested. "What am I supposed to say?"

"To who?"

"To Hourai, to, I don't know! Anyone! That I didn't realize anything was amiss until I stumbled into the hall again?"

She was supposed to be the chief of Section 4 for God's sake. No one would buy her tale of utter ignorance for a second. November glanced around at the destruction considering her complaints.

"Well, I suppose I should take him-" November nodded over to January, "back to base." His face held a playful smile as he imagined dragging a whining January back to base with before-and-after photos of the Police's Banquet Hall.

"You think?" January snorted at the two, before his eye caught a black canister that had begun to roll into the center of the room. "Hey, what's-?"

And smoke filled the room.  
**  
November.**  
_What is going on here? _He patted down his suit to make sure the vial was still intact before grabbing Misaki's hand and swiftly leading her to safety. Out of nowhere, a double-edged dagger shot out between them, and a mask seemed to emerge through the fog.

**Hei.**  
It was almost too easy to slip away from Misaki and the MI-6 agents. They were totally preoccupied with destroying the entire hall to notice Li inching toward the kitchens. Once inside, he threw on his coat and mask, before Yin handed him his knife. For a doll, she had remarkable foresight.  
"Thanks, Yin." He nodded, before they unleashed the full force of Huang's smoke bomb.

There were two types of bombs- Huang was unusually particular about which smoke bomb fit what occasion. _I guess if the only weapons I had were the gas and smoke, then I'd to be an expert too,_ Hei thought.

"What type did you just send out?" Hei questioned the doll.

"The plain kind. Huang keeps the knock out gas locked up somewhere, so this was the best I could smuggle." Mao answered for her, since Yin was currently busy with her hand in water.

"It's fine." _As long as they stay distracted._ "Stay hidden." Hei ordered before sweeping out to finally obtain the item he was sent after.  
**  
Misaki.**  
The Black Reaper that she had just danced with a moment ago, was gone, replaced with the assassin she hunted day and night. Even so, she felt a rush of joy overwhelm her that he had not left them. Had not left her, she thought to herself, though she's never admit it.  
**  
Of Demands and Complaints.  
**"The vial." Hei stated, his voice muffled and dark behind the mask.

"I wouldn't be making demands so quick," November smirked, as January came barreling into view. "Until you're sure you've won."

January's arm was already warmed up from the evening, and he was only too glad to bring it straight down on Hei's shoulder. The impact sent Hei stumbling to the right, clenching his jaw to stop his scream from escaping. _Damn!_Hei inwardly cursed, clutching his shoulder to prevent more unnecessary pain for himself.

_That was some punch!_ Misaki thought worriedly. She had never seen the Black Reaper take a blow and stumble before. Fear grabbed for her heart as the truth that BK-201 could possibly die, like anyone else, at any time, sunk in. _If he died, what would I do?_ It scared her that she couldn't think of anything.  
**  
Hei.**  
Realizing that he could not take another direct punch, Hei quickly dove for the fog's cover, barely avoiding another hit by inches. _Good plan! _He sighed, unhooking a wire from his belt...

"Where'd he go?" January asked squinting stupidly, while spinning around in a circle. No one answered, as they, too, kept a watchful eye out for BK-201.

Whizz!

A wire wrapped itself around January's neck, tightening, as it pulled him into the fog.  
"I'll kill you-" January sputtered as the wire continued I choke him.  
Ignoring the complaints, Hei dragged the agent to the wall, resting his gloved hand around the back of his neck.

Slowly, he walked his hostage along the wall, accidentally stepping in a puddle of water on the way. Water? Probably from the melting ice...

He wanted to be sure that both Kirihara and November could clearly see the situation.

"The vial." Hei repeated, putting slightly more pressure on the back of January's neck, causing him to cringe.

"You really are demanding." November sighed while shaking his head. When he looked back up, his eyes shown red, and he was arm was soon full of killer icicles.

Hei dodged to the side as one stabbed where he had previously stood. He had no intention to die like Havoc. January seized the opportunity, sliding under Hei's grasp like a snake, and heading for the smoke's cover. So much for hostages... Hei retracted the wire used to hold January, and shot it at November's arms. Bull's eye. November tried to loosen the wire, but it stubbornly retained it's biting hold. Having no choice, November froze the wire and broke it off with some difficulty.

"Are you okay?" Misaki asked, as November continued to rub at his arm.

"And it was a good suit too." He muttered under his breath, his eyes closely examining the effects that the wire had on his clothes.  
Within the time it took for November to access the condition of his sleeve, Hei already had Misaki's neck in his wire.

**"Stop."**

November and January stopped in their tracks, if only in surprise, before Hei stepped into the water.  
_Sorry, Misaki._  
An electrifying light filled the room before the agents fell, splashing unconsciously into the water.

_Forgive me, Misaki._He whispered, as he gently laid her limp body on a patch of dry ground. He hadn't intended for the shock to kill them, but their interference had become increasingly irritating. It was logical to just knock them all out.

Yin held the door open as Mao leaped from the kitchen door into the water, only to jump back and shake out his fur. He spotted Hei kneeling at November's side, stripping off a soggy black suit, and searching through the pockets. He seemed to have found what he was looking for, because he immediately withdrew his hand from the article of clothing like it carried a contagious disease, taking care to throw it unfolded in the water.

"Let's go." Hei said, looking at the vial in his hand. It was so small and fragile looking, that one drop would leave it broken on the ground. Yet so deadly... The red liquid swirled from end to end, always moving, even when Hei's hand was steady. It was as if the liquid itself was alive, like the red color it owned was its blood. Sickening.

"Hei? You coming?" Mao called from the door.

"Yes." Hei answered truthfully. They took his word for it, as they began to exit the building. But it was a lie.  
**  
Of Jewelry and Grief.**  
"BK-201, freeze!" Misaki ordered, from behind. _What? She's up?_ Hei glanced down at November's unconscious body, and to the right to January's. Something wasn't right. _Why was Misaki the only one up? Did his power not affect her? Was she immune? _His mind swirled with ideas as quickly as the liquid did inside the vial.

"Dr. Schroeder sent me a gift last time I went to PANDORA. He seemed to think I would need it." Misaki confessed. Hei turned around very confused, to see Misaki holding up her crystal necklace. On closer examination, it was way too dull to be a true crystal, or glass, or stone. It was a dark gray device, cut in the shape of a crystal that hung from an extra long chain that had been tucked into her dress. "I wasn't sure what it would do, but I've worn it every day since. I see what he meant. He knew I was bound to run into you a few times. You're under arrest."

Hei tilted his head to one side.  
"Rubber?" He blurted.

"Put your hands up!" She repeated determinedly in response to his attempt at changing the subject, yet her eyes wavered in what seemed to be… uncertainty? Hei could easily kill her now, or shock her and run before she recovered, but something in her deep brown eyes made him want to stay and figure out this- this Goddess.

"What would happen if you arrested me?" Hei asked her.

"N-nani? What?" This was not how arresting BK-201 was supposed to go. She was caught completely off guard by the truthfulness of the question. The very question she had just asked herself moments ago. What would she do? She knew what would happen to him: He'd be sent to jail, and then what? Escape? Rot in there for life? Become a test subject? And she'd just continue on her work- maybe not even realizing if his star fell one day.

A surge of grief overwhelmed her heart, like waves over a single polished stone. His star might fall, and I might not even know! Grief, despair, confusion. She wasn't even supposed to feel anything! Why did she have to have a mental battle now of all times? She looked at Hei's mask again, trying her hardest to let a blank mask fit over her own features. But it was useless. An uncharacteristic tear fell from her eye, and the room turned blue.

**Side Effects.**

"This here, I want you to deliver this to Misaki Kirihara, Chief of Section 4."

Dr. Schroeder handed Nishijima a tightly wrapped brown parcel.

"What is it?" He asked shortly, after weighing it in his palm.

"Open it!" He said excitedly. "It's just a little something I thought she might like- to match her red dress and all. Or at least, Saitou told me she had a red dress."

"Dr. Schroeder! She is young enough to be your granddaughter! And when were you gossiping with Saitou?" Nishijima frowned, opening the parcel as suggested.

Inside, he found a small white box, the ones that Jewelry stores sent you home with, wrapped in a satin red bow. He quirked an eyebrow at the scientist before unraveling the ribbon and finding a dark gray crystal necklace inside.

"I do hope she'll wear it." The scientist expressed with a look in his eye that said: I know something you don't. When Nishijima didn't inquire further, he decided to hint less subtly- "It has a dual purpose, you know."

Nishijima lifted the crystal to his eye, noticing the dullness of the stone. This was supposed to be crystal? Dual purpose? One could only imagine when Dr. Schroeder was involved...

"Pray tell. _ESPECIALLY _the side effects." Knowing the mad genius, there were bound to be side effects, and he was starting to wonder if he should deliver it at all.

"Well, no need to be so nosy! But since you asked, this is a prototype for protecting a whole body from electrical impulses. I heard that BK-201 was giving Section 4 a bit of trouble, so I decided to take it upon myself to create this small, and not to mention fashionable, piece of artwork!"

"I suppose you heard that from Saitou?" Nishijima frowned, disregarding the scientist's "modest" attitude. The doctor nodded, like he was proud to have socialized and to be so well known. "Side effects?" Nishijima repeated, clearing his throat.

"Oh, yes, well, uh, I did find one teensy kink in it-" Nishijima raised his eyebrows. "- Hey! Don't be like that!" He protested. "All it does is make the wearer super emotional, possibly a little reckless, but Kirihara's so focused that it would hardly affect her at all."

"I see." Nishijima nodded, after coming to an internal decision. "I'll make sure she gets it then."

*~**Vial~***  
The blue light illuminated the room: the bashed up walls, tables, and floor, everything under a shallow layer of water. The glow swept the floors, before encircling the four people in the room.

**Misaki.**  
_What's going on? This isn't supposed to happen!_

"Only a special few can activate the substance." Hei echoed. But how? What made Misaki so special?

Misaki stayed silent, before pointing at something over his shoulder. Turning around, Hei could see January and November peeling themselves off the ground, soaked to the bone. They squinted in the brightness of it all, disoriented, and very confused.

"Misaki, you're doing it again." November said, once he gathered his bearings of the situation.

"Doing what?"

"Your emotions are causing the glow. I think I read something about that a while ago."

He pinched the bridge of his nose in concentration, while folding up his sun glasses. November made to reach for his pocket to put the glasses away, only to find that his jacket wasn't on him. _Where?_ Then he looked down- there was his dress coat, ripped sleeve and all, ruined!

"Why didn't you tell me?" Misaki screamed, breaking him out of his wallowing thoughts.

"Well, I _thought_ that I read something like that. I could be completely wrong, of course."  
Misaki let out a frustrated sigh, before the floor disappeared beneath them.

**AN- Almost finished! THANKS FOR READING n' please please please REVIEW!**

**Next Chapter: **_South America._


	12. South America CH11

_**CH11 South America**_

**A/N: I cannot believe that this story has come to its final chapter, alas all good things must end. However, I hope you have enjoyed reading this fanfic as much as I had writing it. **

**Please REVIEW, this is the last time I get to remind you all (and it's kinda sad)! If you liked this story enough to read it, then please take the time to let me know! **

**Thank you all so much for reading!**

**~Bleu Tsuki**

* * *

All Hei could see was light. Brilliant blue, gate-blinding light. The Banquet Hall disappeared in a swirl of colors and the next thing he knew, the jungle floor was racing up to meet him.

January thudded to the hard ground, as did Hei- though much more gracefully. November, on the other hand, landed feet first like a cat, skilled enough to catch Misaki as she came tumbling down last.

**Hei.**  
_Show off._

"Where in Hell are we?" January groaned, rubbing at his bruised hip. _Hell, how ironic,_ Misaki thought.

The four looked up at the bright, blood-red sky, and around them at the myriad of exotic trees. Trees and... screams? Suddenly, it was as if the volume was un-muted, and the jungle rang forth with wails of terror, almost like the jungle itself was in pain- was dying. Hei's eyes widened as the full force of the truth smacked straight into him. **_South America._**

"That's a good question," November 11 commented smoothly. "South America I presume, BK-201? I've never fought here. Not for Heaven's War, anyway, so I'm hardly an expert."

Hei's mind raced a thousand miles an hour to piece their situation together. They had heard screams, which meant people were still fighting. Had the contractors really been fighting for the past 5 plus years? Realistically, they should have all killed each other off by now- but that obviously wasn't the case.

Misaki looked at the crouching Black Reaper, wondering how she ever forgot about Hei's history. When BK-201 first appeared in Tokyo, she had researched everything known to humanity, no, _existence_ on him, but as his case became increasingly more and more personal, the cold hard facts had somehow _faded_. Replaced by only the dark hero of her dreams.

Misaki watched Hei's body for a twitch, a sign of distress or familiarity. But there were none.

"Yes, we're in South America, alright." He spoke at length.

_Now how do we get back?_ The question demanded itself throughout their minds, but no one said it aloud for fear of inducing the panic that was sure to come. Hei stared back down at the vial in his hand, full to the brim with the sky colored liquid. No wonder the color had made him sick before- it matched the Heaven's War sky perfectly.

"I think we should split up," January suggested, heading towards the clump of denser trees.

"Not yet!" November grabbed his arm. "We need a plan!" But January had wriggled loose and was already off at a run. _Idiot boy._

November held in a frustrated sigh, contenting himself with a lighthearted grin instead. "You're the professional, Black Reaper. Have any suggestions?"

Hei stood up, facing Misaki, and then November.

"We-" He glimpsed a bush to his left sway a tad. "Get up a tree. NOW!" As the two scrambled to obey his orders, a small, skinny woman with orange hair leapt out of the thorny greenery. She wore a camouflaged pattern jumpsuit that stood out in stark contrast to her bright red eyes. _Damn!_

November might have thought that Heaven's War was just another mission, but Hei knew that these were the best of the best. The contractors of the contractors. The ones that would rip out hearts with their bare hands and drink blood from children's veins. And even if November didn't deserve to live, Hei just couldn't leave him to fend for himself. This was a totally new breed of contractor ferocity that only Hei could handle. Or so he thought, because he wasn't going to find out and put Misaki in potential danger.

"The Black Reaper!" The woman growled, instantly recognizing his infamous mask. "I thought you had left ages ago! I've been fighting here forever, just to be told by some half brained scientists who fell from the sky that this area is cut off from the rest of the world! A floating area of existing space!"

If the woman looked like a wild beast a moment ago, it was nothing compared to how she looked now. Her eyes doubled in their red intensity, her palm pointed towards his body. Her hair floating eerily about her.

"Prepare to die, pitiful human."  
She smiled a sickening ghastly smile before sending an explosion his way. Boom! The transparent canon ball exploded the trees behind Hei, kicking up dust into the atmosphere. Luckily, Hei had the experience to dodge at the precise moment- which he did with stunning accuracy.

"Where'd you run off to now?" The woman cackled, her orange hair flaring out behind her like some deranged sorceress. The contractor let off a few more bombs before squinting into the dusty air for her prey. Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a wire wrapped itself around her neck, and ordinarily it would have been the end, but this was a Heaven's War type contractor. Things just couldn't be so simple.  
"Gotcha!" She whispered under her breath, whipping around and sending another explosion. The choking wire didn't even faze her. The force hit Hei squarely in the chest, sending him flying backwards into a bunch of trees. The woman's smile broadened. Contractors couldn't feel, but who said that they couldn't go insane?  
Hei lifted himself off of the tree top with great effort, ignoring the searing pain in his chest. He silently leapt from tree to tree, hoping that he could get an advantage on his opponent. However, the woman's ears were so acutely adapted to the jungle's natural noise that she knew exactly where he was. It took her barely a fraction of a second to raise her palm- Boom!

Hei fell like a bird struck with lightning. Humiliating if he weren't worried for his life.

"What else does the Reaper have up his sleeve? Of years of hiding?" The woman taunted, before a new idea occurred to her causing her smile to fall a bit in curiosity.

"Unless of course- you came from The World?" Hei could only lift himself off of the cold ground as she approached, spitting out words as she went. She glared down at him, taking her time until she could properly finish him off. Hei realized that he desperately needed an opening if he wanted to survive. Just a little bit longer...

"Well, I'm here to make sure you don't go back!" She finished, eyes flashing devilishly. She let her eyes roll to the moonless sky in a fleeting moment of insane bliss. She was going to kill the Black Reaper! Finally, finally!  
Opening.

Hei slid his wire from under his belt into his ready hand, flinging it skillfully around her good hand and without mercy, surged a good thousand watts down it. She fried like bacon. Sizzling on her way to the ground. Just before her eyes shut for good, she managed to croak:  
"How?"

Hei stayed on the cold, dusty floor- panting with haggard breaths- trying to gulp down as much air as possible. He didn't remember Heaven's War being as difficult as that last fight. But during the war, he had had allies: Pai, Amber, Havoc.  
Did they take the heavyweight for him? Had they tried to keep him away from all of the most dangerous contractors at all costs?  
He too looked up at the starry sky, pondering what had really happened the last time he was here.

* * *

**Misaki and November.**  
Hei said climb. And they climbed as fast as they could in what they were wearing. It was a simple survival mechanism- want to survive? Listen to Hei.  
Misaki tried to avoid damaging her dress- at first- but that proved to be impossible since the tree bark and leaves, and whatever else was on that tree, came whipping at the luxurious fabric. She tried to imagine Kanami's reaction when she got back. If she did.

As the two reached the middle of two different trees, they could hear the contractor shouting below:  
"Prepare to die, pitiful human." They saw Hei dodge the contractor's first blast soon after.  
Human? Misaki thought.  
November seemed to guess what she was thinking since he explained further-  
"The Black Reaper became famous as a human because he was more ruthless than many of the most vicious contractors during Heaven's War. I don't see how you missed that in his file."  
Misaki's brow furrowed. She HAD read his file, front to back, nearly one billion times! She knew for a fact that there was not a single mention of him fighting as a human in Heaven's War. Which made her wonder, Why? November seemed to treat it as common knowledge, contractor legend. So how had she, Chief Misaki Kirihara, the BK-201 expert, missed it? She realized with a melancholy pang to her heart that she barely knew him at all.

After more taunting from the woman, and a few more bombs, Hei's wire managed to wrap its hold around the contractor's neck. Misaki could feel herself release a small sigh of relief, a very fleeting, sigh of relief, because Hei was in the air a second later.

"Ouch! That's got to hurt." November winced as he saw Hei receiving the full impact of the explosion. BK-201 disappeared from his sight, but the woman's orange hair could not, as much as he wanted it to. It was like an eternal bad hair day...  
There was a brief pause before the contractor aimed her palm at a seemingly random spot in the canopy. Boom!  
The Reaper fell to the ground, panting heavily, with his masked face lifted to the woman's.  
"Well, I'm here to make sure you don't go back!" She cackled, her eyes rolling to the sky. Those were her last words and her last view of the world, as Hei managed turn this fight around and electrocute her with his wire. And there she fell, dead and fried.

**Amber's Debut.**  
"I think Hei has insured your survival. Come, there's just enough time." A bright voice called to them in contrast to the dark jungle surroundings.

Misaki glanced down, and seeing no one, looked over to November for his opinion.  
"Come, there's only so much time."

November shrugged at Misaki from across the branches and started to make his way down to the forest floor.  
There was no immediate reason to blindly obey the mysterious voice, but there was nothing else to go on. Following her police instinct, she swallowed down any protests she had, and followed November's lead.

"If I'm not mistaken, I believe I just heard an old friend of mine's glowing voice." November smiled. Smooth as ever in South America. Misaki looked over at her companion, who continued to walk forward on some type of instinct. Abruptly he stopped.

"What is it?" Misaki whispered.

He shook his head. "Nothing to worry about, it's just that we've arrived!" He pulled the obstructing leaves from his path, and walked further into a small, circular clearing. In the center was a beautiful teenage girl. She wore a purple baseball cap with the letters 'BY' printed on it in bright orange font, only allowing two long strands of blonde hair to fall against her face. The outfit seemed so misplaced that it could only be UB-001. Amber. The one who could make anything work, including clothes.

"I'm glad you could make it!" She smiled sweetly with her head tilted to the side. "You almost hadn't." The last, seemingly optimistic sentence left a dead weight on Misaki's heart. Almost hadn't! "But don't worry, Misaki. You're safe for a very long time. I've actually wanted to discuss something with you." Amber said calmly, as if she knew the very thoughts racing through Misaki's head. Amber pulled an apple out of her white sweatshirt pocket, biting down on the juicy fruit, like it was completely normal.

**Misaki.**  
_What was going on?_

**November.**  
"I don't get a hello?" He complained playfully, eyeing her as she took another crunchy bite.

"I suppose I should greet you, too," she grinned. "After all, I'm eating your favorite fruit. Want some?" She held the red apple aloft, temptingly by the stem.

"No, I'm alright. Go ahead and chat with Misaki."

She pulled her face into a haughty expression.  
"I didn't need your permission. But more apple for me!"  
Misaki was left to stare blankly between the two old friends. At one point she had thought that contractors and dolls couldn't have friends, but first July, and then Hei, April and November had proved her wrong. She felt like she was intruding on some private reunion, causing her cheeks to tint a light pink despite her inward protests.

"Right," Amber said, turning her attention, once again, to the lady officer. Her amber eyes suddenly held a depth of a thousand years, as her words turned to more serious matters. "There will come a time, if all goes to plan, when the existence of contractors will be out into the public world." _There was a plan?_ "It will happen eventually, one way or another, but it is what happens afterwards, that will make the greatest difference. It's possible for contractors and dolls to coexist peacefully with humans. It's very possible- but only if you listen very carefully..."

**Hei.**  
His chest still stung if he tried to move, but he'd rather get up than wait for another contractor to attack. As he walked back to where they had arrived, Hei brought his gaze along the trees many branches, failing to spot November and Misaki perched among them. Hei ran deeper into the jungle, panicked with the feeling that something or someone had found a way to lead them astray. Giant leaves whipped at his bullet proof jacket, dirtying it with flying dirt, if nothing else.

"Misaki!" He called, eerily reminiscent of his past searches for his sister. "Misaki!"

He pulled in another long breath as he took a short break. It wasn't ideal, but...  
"November!" Oh, he was going to kill Huang after this. "November!" Was a tiny vial really worth him screaming November's name like a damsel on distress? One last time, but the only name that came out was-  
"Amber!"

Because there she stood.

**Misaki. November. Amber.**  
"I can do that." Misaki nodded in the affirmative.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you can. After all-" November started to agree, before a most unusual scream came tearing through the clearing.

"Misaki!" It screamed. "Misaki!"

Amber grinned at the bewildered police chief.  
"I believe that's your que. Remember, coexistence is possible, if you let it."

"November! November!" Hei screamed again, bringing a smug smile onto the MI-6 agent's face. _Hei must have been really desperate..._

"I better relieve him of some stress!" Amber giggled, making her retreat into the leaves, an apple core flying into the clearing.

"She's a special one, that UB-001." November commented, staring at the apple core. Misaki could only nod in silent agreement.

**Amber.**  
"I'm glad you value November and Misaki as your friends." She smiled tauntingly.  
Only Misaki was his friend, but he wasn't going to say it like THAT.  
"Don't worry, it was a joke." She giggled.

"Why are you here?" Hei asked her, keeping all emotion out of his voice until he knew more about her sudden presence.  
"To say hi to you of course, Hei."

"Where's Pai? This is Heaven's Gate isn't it?" Hei asked, somewhat desperately.

A pained expression flitted across her face. She knew he was going to ask that, but it was unavoidable- she tried so many times to avoid the question that would bring him so much anguish. But like so many distasteful things, it was necessary.  
"She left ages ago." She spoke quietly, turning away from the Black Reaper.

_She... left...?_ Hei barely stood, his strength failing his legs, the searing pain across his chest, and the feeling of losing his sister for the second time. _Pai wasn't even here..._  
"That vial will bring you back, but leave it with Misaki."

Amber released a melancholy sigh, knowing that her time with Hei was at its close. She started to walk away, tossing off her baseball cap as she transformed into her 15 year old self.

"Wait! Amber!" But she was already gone. As cryptic and eluding as ever.

* * *

"My, I never knew the Black Reaper missed me so much!" November emerged from the trees, with Misaki behind him. Hei suppressed a biting retort, being too focused on Amber's words. The vial would take them back? And Misaki had to be the one left with it- MI6 and the Syndicate could have it. The Syndicate hadn't exactly told him why they wanted the vial in the first place, and if January was right, it would only be used to bring contractors, like the orange haired woman, back into the rest of the world to fight again. Decidedly, he took the glass vial out of his pocket- in perfect condition despite being tossed around- and held it up to the sky. Like he thought, the color matched exactly.

"Here, Amber said that you should take it." Hei took Misaki's hand and placed the vial in her palm, curling her fingers around it. Misaki could feel a tingling on the back of her neck at his touch, but kept her eyes trained on the liquid least she should look up and let a blush envelope her face. For a second, everyone stood in place, and then, the vial's brilliant light surrounded them once again.

"January!" Hei gasped.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." November answered, repeating Amber's exact words.

Right before Heaven's Gate swirled in their vision, another star had fallen.

**Banquet.**

Hei, Misaki, and November arrived in the Banquet Hall with remarkable grace. Surprisingly, however, the room was back to normal. The floor remained spotless, even the drink stain Misaki had made earlier wasn't there. The floors were still a solid mahogany. The MusiqueBocks was shut, behind the curtain, and the dawn sunlight filtered in through the room, the brightly lit room. Amber? Misaki wondered.  
The attendees' clothes were the only proof they had that the night ever happened. Ripped, dirty, wet, stained- but all in all, no lasting damage.

"Looks like Amber got here first." November remarked. "Well, I'll be off! I'm already kind of late."

"Won't you have to explain why January isn't there?" Hei couldn't help but ask.

"I'll say he got killed. Just like he said: you're as good as gone." November answered over his shoulder, as he opened the intricate Banquet Hall doors. Amber had given him a lot to think about- his next stop: The American Embassy.

Misaki turned around, face alight with the joy of returning to a perfectly normal Banquet Hall. Giving the tiny vial one last glance, she flung it out the windows without a second thought, as Amber had instructed. She watched it fall for a minute before tearing her gaze away to say bye to the Reaper, but he was long gone, leaving behind the memory of their dance together to bring warmth to her heart forever.

**Hei.**  
He was prepared to slip secretly away from the lady officer, but he didn't need to as she turned her back on him, and opened up a window. Assuming that Yin and Mao had already made it safely back to the Tobacco Stand's back apartment, he made his way back to his own apartment, whipping off his mask and coat as he walked along.

He hunched his shoulders and put his hands in his barely damaged tuxedo, trying to avoid any suspicious states in the early hours of the morning, however, the only one he passed was a short fair haired boy who wore a purple baseball cap. He seemed to be in a hurry as he brushed by at a sprint...

**Maki and Amagiri.**  
"Are you sure Amber said to come here?" The big, red haired contractor questioned.

"I'm sure of it. Let's go." The boy answered calmly, tugging down his purple baseball cap that Amber frequently wore.

As they reached the Banquet Room entrance, Amagiri pulled the door wide open for the two of them...  
"What the HELL happened here?" Amagiri exclaimed, his jaw dropping as he entered the Banquet Hall with Maki behind him.

"She said to clean up." Maki told him, unconcerned about the room's hazardous appearance.

"How? Where are we supposed to start?" He looked at the wet, broken floor, punched-in walls, and turned over tables.

"I'm going downstairs." Maki announced abruptly.

"What?"

"In fifteen minutes Police Chief Misaki Kirihara will drop a vial that Amber needs. I need to catch it."

Amagiri ran his hand through his hair as the door swished shut behind his accomplice. _Where to start?_

* * *

**January. South America.**  
January raced through the trees, and low hanging vines until he stopped, panting at a large circular lake. The water sparkled with the reflection of the stars, and he felt a need to walk closer for a better look. His feet reached the edge of the gentle lapping waves, and he stared within its depth, before immediately jumping back. There were BODIES in the water. Skulls, and half disintegrated corpses. He jerked away from the water's edge, and looked at the lake with newfound dread, noticing for the first time that a girl stood in the center of the lake. _What? She wasn't there before, was she?_ He rubbed his eyes, not having faith in what he knew to be true. That the blonde haired girl wasn't there before.  
Suddenly, she turned around, facing him with an innocent veneer, though he was instinctively afraid of what was under that joyful mask. Before his mind could process enough to run away, Amber had already started walking towards him, across the lake of dead bodies her friend had killed a number of years ago, with the addition of a few more.

"I've been expecting you, Theo Greene. Or January I should say."  
She spoke with a fresh little voice, that didn't match what she was walking in at all.

"How- How do you know my name?" He gasped, as he tried to stand his ground and not run to the trees as he so wanted to do.

"Oh, I know a lot of things." She said, her smile falling as she grasped something in her sweatshirt pocket. He eyed her wearily, possibly guessing that his doom had come.

"Just kill me now!" January screamed, the anticipation killing him.

"You've grown." She remarked. "But-" Amber pulled her hand back out of her sweatshirt, along with a flashing silver knife. Stab! "You still bothered Hei."

January joined the mess of bodies under the water, adding to the number of lives taken during Heaven's War.

* * *

**Amber.**  
She had the meteor shard ready at her disposal. Everything was in place. All she needed now were enough dolls to lead Hei and Yin into the center of Hell's Gate. Dolls, and she knew just where to get them. She fingered the little red vial in her hand, and tucked it into her sweatshirt pocket.

The end was just beginning.

* * *

**A/N- I'm sad to bring this story to a close, partly because I never know how to end things, but I hope you have all enjoyed this story! Because if you have, you know I'm going to ask for a review for the very last and final time (the one at the top of this page doesn't count :) ). Thank you for reading! And if it's not too much to ask, please please please _review!_**

**Bleu Tsuki~***

**Explanations!: First, Hei doesn't have a mask in South America, but he can't exactly show his face to Misaki or November either, and I really wanted him to fight SOMETHING in South America :)**

**Second, Amber used her powers to turn back time on the Banquet Hall itself- if that's possible, but Amagiri did help a ton in getting that room back in order!**

* * *

**Also- Thank you to all of those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed. I never imagined that others would like reading my writing- so THANK YOU!**


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